PUGGLE SNUGGLES

What does the baby platypus do?

As the sun rises, little critters do their thing. “Hen’s chicks / did magic tricks.” “Horse’s foal / scored a goal.” “Goat’s kid / tried out a skid.” But Platypus’ youngster (known as a puggle) remains curled up asleep in a clump of grass. Puppies play soccer, and a giraffe calf balances an ice cream cone on its long, prehensile tongue, to the amusement of onlookers. Cat’s kitten knits, and Bear’s cub, Alpaca’s cria, and Sheep’s lamb are all active, but the puggle snoozes. Suddenly the day comes to a close, and under a full moon, the puggle joins other nighttime critters: Aardvark’s pup, Nightingale’s chicks, Chinchilla’s kits, Hedgehog’s hoglet, Wolf’s whelp, Owl’s owlet, Porcupine’s porcupettes, Koala’s joey, and Leopard’s cub. The animals dance, sing, and make merry until the moon sinks, the sun rises, and the puggle again calmly cuddles. The rhyming text is cute, if sometimes strained, and filled with energy sure to induce youngsters to join the nighttime fun crew. Adults may wonder why the mother platypus remains awake, given that these creatures are nocturnal, but it’s a small point. The cartoon-style illustrations heavily anthropomorphize the animals; all are adorable, especially the puggle, with its broad bill, dense fur, and claws.

Bound to provoke giggles—just don’t read it right before bed!