WIGGLE WAGGLE FUN

Mayo (Brother Sun, Sister Moon, 2000, etc.) gathers and retells poems, songs and tiny stories in this eclectic medley of classics and newer tidbits. Some pieces are quite short as in the jaunty four lines of “Crocodile Snap” while others are somewhat longer, like the fresh take on the Russian classic of the Gigantic Turnip in “Father Bear’s Enormous Turnip.” But each has the child-pleasing attribute of brevity. Included in this compilation are fanciful insects that help a young reader count to ten, an evocative poem about the intriguing contents of “Granddad’s Shed,” a rollicking rainy-day song, a bathing rhyme, even a couple of pages dedicated to Christmas. But there is so much more; these pages serve up a hefty helping of 34 separate pieces and not a bad one in the bunch. Adding immensely to the value of this work is the assemblage of talented artists. Each of the 24 illustrators, from Tony Ross to Jane Simmons, adds a unique style. Some contribute with sashaying oils, others with absorbing mixed media, stylish watercolors, chalk, and pencil. Words and pictures unite radiantly for a classy and imminently sharable read-aloud. (Nonfiction. 2-6)