Line Up! Animals in Remarkable Rows

“Have you ever been asked/ to line up in a row?/ Some animals do this/ when they’re on the go!” Beginning with a question that connects animalian experiences to those of human children, Stockdale’s jolly rhyming exploration of animal queues relays habits of birds, crustaceans, mammals, and more following a leader across diverse habitats. Upbeat narration directs and educates, detailing, for example, a spotted puffer lining up to be cleaned by other fish, and a hermit crab readying to select a new shell. While some critters go single-file to hunt or migrate, others relax: “Line up, tired turtle,/ and rest on a back./ Cozy up close/ while you’re propped in a stack.” Digitally styled acrylic art foregrounds wildlife sequences amid flat-hued natural environments: a procession of ants crawl up a tulip’s stalk; shrews chain through layers of autumn leaves. When fairywrens nestle in a sleepy string, it’s a chance to bid the reader good night following the fun- and fact-filled creature parade. Back matter offers more facts about each animal. Ages 2–5. (Jan.)