February 1, 2023
In this collection of poems, rhymed commentary sets off a menagerie of elegantly attired fashionistas strutting their stuff. "Far below a barren field that's looking fairly frozen / groundhogs dance the polka in their cozy lederhosen." With sure command of metrics as well as excellent comic timing, Levinson dishes out pithy observations on animals from "Lions and tiger and bears (oh my!)" to snakes and spiders, all striking poses in the Howdeshells' flat, screen print-style fashion plates. If some choices of attire do not come off as well ("Cheetahs in leopard-print leggings? / So sleek! / Horses in zebra-print jeggings? / Tr�s chic! / Porcupines stuffed into unitards? / Eek"), still, the deer and antelope leaping balletically in sweatpants, gyrating "King-aroos" in sequined jumpsuits and "blue / suede / shoes," and a trash can tableau of "raccoons... / in fine pantaloons" exude �lan as seemingly effortless as the rhymes. Nor is outerwear all that's in the closet: "Do you wonder / what is under / every turtle's shell? / Underpants are what is under. / Undershirts, as well." Those shells probably chafe something fierce. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A tailor-made parade for younger clotheshorses. (Picture book/poetry. 5-8)
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May 1, 2023
A red-haired child introduces the picture book's topic forcefully with a large word balloon before the title page: "What? YOU'VE NEVER SEEN ANIMALS IN PANTS?!?" Twenty-three very short and funny poems cover a wide variety of animals and the many types of pants they might wear. For example, the "downward dog" wears yoga pants while the polar bears wear snow pants, of course. The poems are both silly and clever, as in "Deep Thoughts," where the speaker wonders, "If a snake yanked a sock to his face... / would we say 'pant' in that case?" The vibrant Photoshop illustrations are filled with textures and patterns, resembling a combination of collage and stamped art. The palette features orange, teal, yellow, and green, with lively postures and expressions on each of the dozens of animals' faces. A final poem goes on for four pages with animals waiting and waiting for the tailor who is working on their pants, concluding, "The good news? / He's fast for a sloth." At the end, the red-haired child is back hinting at a sequel: "What? YOU'VE NEVER SEEN ANIMALS IN HATS?!?" Susan Dove Lempke
(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)
Starred review from September 29, 2023
K-Gr 2-A variety of audacious animals in all kinds of pants pirouette, slither, bend, leap, and strut while wearing pressed pantaloons, dungarees, button-fly flares, leggings, jeggings, unitards, and slacks. The sooner readers turn the pages of this delightfully humorous poetry book, the longer everyone gets to groove! Levinson's debut picture book of 23 entertaining and clever poems pulls readers into a parade of impeccable nonsense in which the husband-and-wife illustration team presents flamboyant images of cats, raccoons, groundhogs, monkeys, and kangaroos. While they listen to the crisp, concise rhyming verse, children's eyes will be darting across each energetic spread to soak up the movements of animals as they display their finery of perky pants. VERDICT Every library shelf should have this poetry book of animals wearing pants, which is a triumph of rhythmic language, vibrant visuals, and hilarious laugh-out-loud illustrations. It's sure to please any reader.-Lyn Smith
Copyright 2023 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2023
A red-haired child introduces the picture book's topic forcefully with a large word balloon before the title page: "What? YOU'VE NEVER SEEN ANIMALS IN PANTS?!?" Twenty-three very short and funny poems cover a wide variety of animals and the many types of pants they might wear. For example, the "downward dog" wears yoga pants while the polar bears wear snow pants, of course. The poems are both silly and clever, as in "Deep Thoughts," where the speaker wonders, "If a snake yanked a sock to his face... / would we say 'pant' in that case?" The vibrant Photoshop illustrations are filled with textures and patterns, resembling a combination of collage and stamped art. The palette features orange, teal, yellow, and green, with lively postures and expressions on each of the dozens of animals' faces. A final poem goes on for four pages with animals waiting and waiting for the tailor who is working on their pants, concluding, "The good news? / He's fast for a sloth." At the end, the red-haired child is back hinting at a sequel: "What? YOU'VE NEVER SEEN ANIMALS IN HATS?!?"
(Copyright 2023 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)