I've liked pretty much everything Jarvis has ever done, so I don't know why I always seem to miss their new books - they have board books now!

It starts out with the traditional song, "Mary had a little lamb. Its fleece was WHITE as snow." Turn the page and things change, "An orange tiger followed them." Mary and her lamb, cheerfully trotting through a landscape sketched in with a few notes of the appropriate color, acquire an interesting retinue of animals. First the tiger, then a pink hippo, red monkey, blue bears, purple mouse, green crocodile, and yellow giraffe. The band of colorful animals climbs aboard a gray bus, with Mary at the wheel, and take a trip to the park for a picnic lunch.

Each spread includes a unique color, descriptor, and sound. For example, the green crocodile marches across the green ground and between a few green plants and mushrooms, making snapping sounds. The pink hippo dances, the bears play trumpets, and through it all Mary leads the way. Sometimes she listens to music, examines a watch, or sings along with her friends. Mary has black hair and light skin, with a cheerful blue coat and hat, decorated with yellow polka-dots.

The board book is a traditional shape, a little under 7 inches square. The pages are sturdy, but the hinges are a little thin.

Verdict: A strong addition to any board book or storytime collection, babies and toddlers are sure to enjoy making sounds and identifying colors along with Mary and her friends.

ISBN: 9781536211115; Published September 2019 by Candlewick; Borrowed from another library in my consortium