Heads and Tails

In an elegantly designed guess-the-animal outing, subjects introduce themselves using brief, descriptive clues: “I have a striped furry coat. I live in the jungle. I am the largest of all cats. I am a...” Readers first see an animal’s back end, which Canty illustrates in loose watercolors set against white spreads. On the following page, the animal’s head appears in more detailed renderings, adapted from 19th-century archival images. Additional subjects include a fish, tortoise, fox, frog, and kangaroo. An unexpected conclusion invites readers to be a featured animal, as well: “I love to play. I learn new things every day. I am growing. I am... Me!” Ages 2–5.[em] (Oct.) [/em]