All Around Us

One of three wordless concertina friezes shows objects in the sky (sun, rainbow, plane, rain, clouds, moon), another features objects above ground (trees, ships on the water, people in houses, animals) and yet another, objects beneath the ground (crocodile, coalminer, fish swimming, tree roots, burrowing animals). Carle's illustrations are characteristically poster bright and childlike, with recognizable shapes for younger readers and a sharply focused concept for older ones. All Around Us is a simple idea, executed here with precision. (2-up)