cover image Where is Everybody?: An Animal Alphabet

Where is Everybody?: An Animal Alphabet

Eve Merriam. Simon & Schuster, $14.95 (31pp) ISBN 978-0-671-64964-7

It's plain to see where most of the animals are: the narwhal is in the noodle house, the vicuna is at the video store and the quail is on the quarterdeck. But finding the dapper, sleepy-eyed mole will keep children turning the pages of this deft animal alphabet book. Like the title character in Where's Waldo? , the mole and/or his photography equipment appear on every page. His nose peeks out of the laundry basket at the lion's house; his cordovan shoes lurk under the backstage curtain as the owls perform at the opera. At the very end, he manages to get all the animals together for a toothy family photo. Unusual animals, combined with the playful hide-and-seek format that has proven so popular with readers, should ensure that this book is a hit. Ages 3-6. (Apr.)