Here is the African Savanna - Softcover

PLB 0-7868-2134-5 A lovely circular, cumulative tale evokes the landscape and animals of the African savanna. Dunphy noses around the food chain as she introduces such creatures as zebras, lions, impalas, baboons, and elephants, against a backdrop of grass and acacia trees. Most of the animals, tick birds to hippos, make unobtrusive yet effective eye contact with readers, drawing them into the scene. Dunphy's wording is a pleasure to read, and her this-is-the-house-that-Jack-built structure is musical: ``who eat the grass/that grows on the plain/which turns green or brown/depending on rain:/Here is the African savanna.'' Leonard's artwork is equally engaging; he zooms in to catch the hippo's whiskers, pulls back to command the savanna's sweep, and maintains a steady flow of characters to keep the pacing crisp. A brief overview of the plants and animals mentioned in the book appears at the end. (Picture book. 3-8) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Part of the Here Is series, this simple cumulative story both shows and tells the interaction of plants and animals on the east African savanna. One at a time, the clear, acrylic double-page pictures and the rhythmic words focus on a particular plant or animal, first close-up and then as part of the wide grassland environment. ("Here are the hippos / who are groomed by the tick birds / who perch on the impalas / who eat the pods / dropped by the baboons / who sit in the tree / which shelters the giraffe . . ."). Each new page takes a surprising leap, though those who look closely at each picture will see a hint of what's to come. The repetition is never boring, and children will enjoy the active verbs and the handsome pictures of the astonishing wildlife. A final double-page spread discusses the animals that are in danger of extinction and makes a plea to help ensure their survival. Hazel Rochman