Animal Sound Mix-up

Another internet friend sent me a PDF of her book to review. I guess the word is getting out that I review books for kids. However even if I know the authors, I try always to be honest.

There are countless books for young children about the sounds animals make. I remember my brother enjoying books like that back in the 1940s and as a mother, preschool teacher, and grandmother I've seen dozens more advising kids that "Cows say 'Moo'" and "Dogs say 'Bow-Wow.' " However I've never seen one like Connie Arnold's Animal Sound Mix-up, which asks children to imagine what would happen if animals made the wrong sounds. Children will probably laugh at the crazy possibilities.

Unlike many rhyming picture books, the rhythm and meter flow naturally and the message that God made animals the way they really are is a positive one.

As you can see from the cover, Illustrator Kit Grady did an excellent job of capturing the amusing feeling of the book.

In my humble opinion, little kids will love this book.

Here are some interesting facts about animal sounds that Connie gave me to share:

Roosters can't crow if they can't fully extend their necks. A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why. A lion's roar can be heard from five miles away. Giraffes have no vocal cords. Cats have over one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten. Many hamsters only blink one eye at a time. An ostrich's eye is bigger than it's brain. Elephants and camels both have four knees. It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky. Tigers have striped skin, not just striped fur.