BOW-WOW WIGGLE-WAGGLE

A game of fetch with a brown spotted dog turns into a wild pursuit that passes by a rhythmic cacophony of animals along the way. 

A bright-eyed and bouncy pup yowls for joy waiting to play ball with its young owner. But as the game of fetch begins, the “paw-paw pitter-patter” of a tiger cat creeps onto the page. DePalma has created a syncopated soundscape of animal noises as the puppy chases the cat past a host of other wildlife. The book seems like two stories in one—a wordless picture book depicting the chase, and a tongue-twisting play on animal noises. For example, “TWITCH-TWITCH shiver, quiver nibble BLINK / dart, dash scatter chatter scamper wink” describes rabbits and squirrels that watch as the action runs by. Though punctuation is sparse, the text is printed in different types and colors to match the sounds. Luckily, the watercolor illustrations propel the story’s action forward. The scenery shows the chase through field, stream and forest, with the boy lagging farther and farther behind. The storyline is easy to see, as the boy and his hyperactive dog are finally reunited after the chase ends.

Full of energy and zip, this is a good example of onomatopoeia, well complemented by the engaging pictures and heartfelt story.