Meet the Howlers!

January 4, 2010
Sayre's (Trout Are Made of Trees
) latest is a rhyming introduction to the howler monkeys of Central and South America. Verses appear in a jaunty typeface atop newcomer Miller's full-bleed spreads; prose paragraphs in smaller type provide additional information. The rhymes often suggests that the howlers' lives are more carefree than those of readers (“Sister claims a branch,/ yet no one says to share./ She never has to bathe./ Her suit is wash-and-wear!”). A recurring chorus reproduces the howlers' cry (“Woo-hoo-hoo! AH-UH-OH!”); the repetition doesn't add much to the story, but offers a chance to howl along. And readers will take great pleasure in the “special message” howlers send to intruders, human or otherwise: “They often urinate close to or on the invader to mark their territories.” The surfaces of Miller's mixed-media drawings are fuzzy and heavily worked, the rain forest–green palette offset by cloudy pastel skies. They're energetic, too; the howlers leap from branch to branch, scaring nearby birds and tearing leaves off trees for a snack. A solid read-aloud for young animal enthusiasts. Ages 4–7.

March 1, 2010
PreS-KA whimsical introduction to a family of monkeys. Full-bleed spreads show the animals in action, accompanied by a rhyming text in a large font and related facts in a smaller type. The illustrations, done in acrylic, watercolor crayon, and colored pencil and featuring the active animals against backdrops of lush greens, show the Howlers as they fly from broad green-leafed branch to branch, calling out so loudly the males "can be heard a mile away." "Woo-hoo-hoo!/AH-UH-OH!" ties the action together as a refrain. The illustrations support the introductory information about the Howlers, their calls, behavior, diet, and habitat, providing a comfortable slice of life for early literacy presentations. A fact page and map are more complex, yet will enhance a one-on-one experience."Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA"

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