Oodles of Animals    by Lois Ehlert Order:  USA  Can Harcourt, 2008 (2008) Hardcover      Reviewed by Hilary Daninhirsch I love this book for many of the reasons that my children enjoy it: it's vibrant, has pictures of animals, and each picture is accompanied by miniature poems about the animal. I also love this book for another reason: because of the creativity it inspires in my two young daughters. Ehlert designed each animal using various colors of construction paper; sawtoothed scissors; a hole punch; and employing just nine different types of basic shapes easily recognizable by young children. This has resulted in a trip to our local Target for colored paper and special scissors so my children can make their own version of Ehlert's animals. A sample poem (pertaining to the multicolored rabbit): 'It's a rabbit habit to choose fresh veggies when she chews.' And another, about the boxy elephant with the spiky blue trunk: 'If an elephant wants to dance, say no. You'd have a flat foot if she stepped on your toe.' Oodles of Animals makes a great choice for schools, day cares and home libraries. It's highly readable, enjoyable to look at, and the animal designs are easy to replicate with the right supplies and a good imagination. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Kids books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews