Horn Book
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

In this humorous read-aloud with a "House That Jack Built" cadence, African animals--including an elephant, kudu, monkey, jackal, zebra, and lion--are scared out of their wits by cascading actions that start with thecheep of a guinea fowl chick. Finally, a wise owl explains the cause of the havoc. Energetic, excitement-packed illustrations in watercolor and ink invite repeated viewings. Simultaneously published in South Africa. (c) Copyright 2019. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Publishers Weekly
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

In "House That Jack Built"-style verse, the duo behind The African Orchestra describes what happens when scary animals get scared themselves. Rankin's paintings of African wildlife give the pages richness and depth. Her animals-brushed in translucent colors, with finely traced hair and feathers-are simultaneously comic and handsome. A chick cheeps; its parent, whose majestic black plumage is set off by a teal head, glares. The chick's cry terrifies all of the animals that hear it: "This is the kudu that lifted his horns.../ and P-R-I-C-K-E-D the monkey like Acacia thorns." The monkey screams, the jackal runs, and pretty soon a savannah's worth of creatures are stampeding into the house of the young ranger. Finally, an owl talks sense into the crowd. The story's pace never flags, and the vision of powerful animals-even the lion-having to be calmed by an owl will make children smile. One oddity: the story takes place at night (explaining the animals' confusion and terror), but the white backdrops of the spreads create a sense of daylight and sunshine. Ages 3-8. (Nov.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

School Library Journal
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PreS-Gr 2-How does one tiny chick scare an entire community of ferocious animals? In Hartmann's latest, a simple "cheep" from a chick creates a frenzy in the African plains. The chick frightens the elephant, who alarms the kudu, who wakes the jackal, and so forth. Readers will enjoy following along to see the next animal and how they react. Overall, the book presents a subtle moral about rumors getting out of hand, similar to a game of "Telephone." Readers will love the rhythmic flow and rhyming patterns while learning about various animals that can be found in this habitat. Unique and fun watercolor illustrations give the text a playful atmosphere, perfect for reading aloud. VERDICT A humorous addition to any picture book collection and a great read-aloud that children and adults will love.-Jennifer Bludau, La Grange Independent School District, TX © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.