Say Hello like this! by Mary Murphy

Like board books and easy readers, sometimes picture books for the very youngest can be the most difficult. It's hard to get the text simple enough without making it bland, illustrations that are attractive but not too complex, and overall a story that will attract toddlers but not bore adults to tears, especially if it's one you know you will be reading over and over again.

This Lucy Cousins look-alike hits all the nails on the head and promises to be a storytime favorite!

This picture doesn't do justice to the cover, which is actually a vivid teal with sparkly text for the title. The endpapers show several pairs of animals (cows, chicks, geese, and what might be either hamsters or guinea pigs) all making animal sounds. Each page describes a hello "A dog hello is sticky and loud" and shows two animals grinning cheerfully at each. Turn a half page flap and it says "like this!" and adds the animal sounds, showing the two animals now excitedly greeting each other. The book features dogs, cats, frogs, chickens, beetles, and donkeys. On the final spread, it shows all the animals and tells the listeners there's one hello missing...turn the page, and we see all the animals looking out at the audience and a big sparkly hello.

Verdict: I can see kids delightedly practicing their animal sounds, jumping, peeping, making cat paws, and more in this delightful story, not to mention enjoying turning the half page flaps. A real winner for toddler storytime!

ISBN: 9780763669515; Published 2014 by Candlewick Press; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Added to the library's order list