Arndt, Michael. Cat Says Meow (and other Animalopoeia). Michael Arndt, Illus. Picture book. Chronicle, 2014. [36]p. $12.99. 978-1-4251-1234-3. OUTSTANDING. GRADES PRE-K.
Inspired by animals and typography, Arndt presents a marvelous book whereby an animal’s sound is incorporated into its illustration. Each picture of an animal is accompanied by a single sentence with its sound. “Fish say g-g-g-g-glub g-g-g-g-glub g-g-g-g-glub.” The body of the fish is blue, the four “G”s represent scales, “L” represents a mouth and “UB” are the eyes. In all, 25 different animal illustrations and their sounds are presented against a simple white background. Each animal is illustrated in one color, using both positive and negative space and various font sizes and styles. Fascinating illustrations make this clever and unique book a triumph in graphic design. Adults will enjoy Cat Says Meow just as much as children will.
Dayni Kuo, Oakland PL