cover image Can an Aardvark Bark?

Can an Aardvark Bark?

Melissa Stewart, illus. by Steve Jenkins. Beach Lane, $17.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-4814-5852-8

Stewart (Feathers: Not Just for Flying) highlights the sounds that animals make in this inviting primer, which is augmented by Jenkins’s torn-paper portraits. Stewart leads with internally rhyming questions about particular animals (“Can a wild boar roar? No, but it can squeal”), and the subsequent pages introduce additional animals that make similar sounds; a European hedgehog and European spotted dolphins are among other creatures that squeal. Brief captions elaborate on the animals’ methods of communication: “A male koala really makes a racket at mating time. His deep, growling bellow helps females find him.” Jenkins (Squirrels Leap, Squirrels Sleep) renders each animal with characteristic attention to detail and subtle texture, resulting in a handsome and dynamic exploration of animal behavior. Ages 2–8. (June)