A LARK IN THE ARK

This British import offers an amusing look at the Noah’s Ark story, in a design for preschoolers with sturdy coated pages and a lift-the-flap format well suited to the hide-and-seek theme. When the animals choose their hiding places aboard the Ark, they sneak into the forbidden territory of Mr. and Mrs. Noah’s well-equipped cabin and bathroom. As Noah searches the cabin with the repeated refrain of “found you,” flaps lift to reveal pairs of animals wearing items of clothing that rhyme with each name: baboons in pantaloons, goats in coats, dogs in clogs, etc. The flap engineering is ingenious, the animals are cleverly illustrated by Chapman and the rich vocabulary offers some delicious variety for young listeners. A final spread has a double-page flap that folds down to reveal all the characters joyously dancing in a conga line. There is no religious content beyond the Noah’s Ark premise; this version of the story is just for the fun of peeking behind the 25 flaps. (Religion/picture book. 3-5)