cover image Cat Says Meow: And Other Animalopoeia

Cat Says Meow: And Other Animalopoeia

Michael Arndt. Chronicle, $12.99 (36p) ISBN 978-1-4521-1234-3

Graphic designer Arndt puts a clever spin on onomatopoeia in his first children’s book, using the letters from the sounds made by 25 animals to create minimalist, solid-color portraits. Since “Pig says oink,” the “o” forms the pig’s snout, the “i” creates its eyes (it appears to be winking), and the “n” and “k” make up the ears. The negative space of a lower-case “e” suggests the spindly legs of a yellow chick, and a florid cursive “g” (from “gobble”) stands in for a turkey’s wattle. Graphically restrained yet exuberant in its sense of fun, it’s a winning blend of typography and zoology. Ages 3–5. (Mar.)