Animal Crackers
Written by Jane Dyer
Little Brown, $17.95
Ages 1-5
ISBN 0-316-19766-1
Review by Alice Cary
Animal Crackers, is Jane Dyer's latest collection of poems, rhymes, and lullabies, a companion book to her earlier anthology for slightly older children, Talking Like the Rain. As the title suggests, the selections are small bites of verse, just right for the youngest palates. There are favorites like "This Little Piggy" and "Pat-a-Cake" mixed with lovely yet simple first tastes of William Carlos Williams and even Tennyson. Dyer's illustrations are vivid but the colors muted and warm-a great combination for catching children's attention while soothing their souls. Another nice, old-fashioned touch is a satiny lavender bookmark built into the book.
Alice Cary writes often about children's literature. She can be reached via e-mail at alice_cary@bookpage.com.
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