Annie and the Wild Animals    by Jan Brett Order:  USA  Can Houghton Mifflin, 2006 (2006) Hardcover      Reviewed by Hilary Daninhirsch Jan Brett's story about a little girl who is searching for her lost pet has been re-released by the publisher in a board book format. In this charming tale, originally published in 1985, Annie's cat disappears one day. Heartbroken, Annie tries to lure her beloved Taffy back to her by putting corn cakes in her yard, which is at the edge of the woods. Instead of Taffy, other animals emerge from the woods to eat the food. Annie sees a moose, a bear, and a wildcat, to name a few. Of course, everything turns out all right in the end when Taffy returns with a surprise for Annie: she brings home kittens. Jan Brett's illustrations are lovely. She is adept at capturing Annie's emotions, and her depictions of the various animals are detailed and realistic. One adorable scene is of Annie waking up one morning to find a moose jutting his nose into her bedroom window, looking for a treat. Each page is framed by a beautiful border filled with drawings of wild animals in wintry scenes. An observant eye will even catch a behind-the-scenes glimpse of Taffy and her new kittens. Annie and the Wild Animals is a sweet story that will resonate with any child who has ever loved an animal. 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