AND HERE’S TO YOU!

Elliott’s cup runneth over with good cheer in this rhymed toast to people—and not just the two-legged variety, either: “Here’s to the birds! / The Feather People! / Birds! / Here’s to the who-o-o ones, / The cock-a-doodle-doo ones, / Their breasts as red as fire ones, / The sitting on a wire ones. / Oh, I love the birds!” Each verse follows the same pattern, as he goes on to salute fish (“The Bubble People”), bears (“The Hungry People”), bugs, cats, dogs, cows, and frogs in turn, coming around at last to “The People People,” and closing with “The You Person! / You!” Cecil’s full-bleed illustrations reflect all this unfettered exuberance, with bright cartoon scenes of grinning young folk surrounded by animals and placed in outdoorsy settings. Reminiscent of Flora McDonnell’s I Love Animals (1994) for its intensity of feeling, but more articulate in its expression, this will have young readers and listeners calling for another round. (Picture book. 6-8)