Following Footprints

Summer brings on the patter of little feet in the kitchen all day long. Those little feet leave footprints. Feet of all sizes on the porch, in the hall, and from shower to towel rack and back leave tale telling evidence, too. Do you read feet? Do you know who did what when? Isn’t that part of a mom’s job description? Here’s a book to share with feet owners who can laugh at themselves.

MOOSE TRACKS by Karma Wilson, illustrated by Jack E. Davis, Margaret McElderry, 2006

Along with feet, do you also read faces on picture book characters? Jack Davis has worked sly humor into his characters’ expressions. His detailed settings offer clues to the mystery at hand. It’s just plain fun to point out the smug faced mice and boggle-eyed frogs to that two year old who wiggled her way onto your lap. Or you could wonder where the dog went and why the cat isn’t demanding a bigger role. Preschoolers would be happy to offer their opinions. A first or second grader who insists he’s given up reading for the summer might be glad to do this, too.

This book ends with a punch line. I don’t want to spoil it, so I’ll just say that Karma Wilson has written other books for kids to read with their families or for families to read to their kids. Take a stack to the beach or the mountains, or the nearest living room chair.

In the meantime,who left all those moose tracks?