PPBF: Animal Masquerade

Author/Illustrator: Marianne Dubuc

Publisher:Kids Can Press, 2012 (Originally under Au carnaval des animaux, 2011)

Genre: fiction

Themes: animals, disguises, masquerade

Age Level: 3-7, but my teens loved this too!

Opening: Come one, come all to the animal masquerade. Disguises are a must!

Synopsis: from Kids Can Press: The lion is going as an elephant, the elephant as a parrot, and the parrot as a turtle! Each costume gives way to another, yielding new surprises on every page, and revealing a menagerie of familiar and unusual animals. Young children will delight in the absurd and amusing images (who wouldn’t love a ladybug dressed as a hippopotamus?) and will also appreciate the gags (a fish costumed as a cat is dubbed a “catfish”) and other bits of silly sweetness. Recapping this reading adventure: a detailed panorama at book’s end, showing all the party guests in their fanciful finery.

Why I like this book: I don’t like this book, I LOVE IT! You can read it, over and over right away! If anyone out there ever makes a costume of an animal ‘in costume’ send me a photo!

Resource/Activity: make your own costumes: http://crafts.kaboose.com/holidays/halloween/costumes/ ; Blog: My Disguises great photos and ideas for kids of ALL ages

For more links to posts on Perfect Picture Books and resources, visit Susanna Hill’s blog every Friday.

PS: It is Day Four of the 15 Habits of Great Writers Challenge and we have been prompted to ‘practice’ publicly. Well, I did that last night when I read a MS to my shiny and new kid-lit crit-group. It was scary but fun and helpful, and I appreciate my fellow members soooo much!