Color Zoo

PreS-Gr 1-- This uniquely designed book features a series of cutouts stacked so that with each page turn, a layer is removed to reveal yet another picture. Each configuration is an animal: a tiger's face (a circle shape) and two ears disappear with a page turn to leave viewers with a square within which is a mouse. The mouse's square frame, removed, reveals a fox. There are three such series, and each ends with a small round-up of the shapes used so far. That's not all. On the reverse of the turned page is the shape cutout previously removed with the shape's printed name. While the tiger and lion are not easy to identify in their geometrically shaped components, children will readily name the seven others and will delight in identifying both animals and shapes. Boldly designed pages easily carry to the rear of the room during story hours, and brilliant juxtapositions of vibrant primary colors will make children's eyes tingle. --Susan Hepler, formerly at Windsor Public Library, Conn.