A Curious Menagerie: Of Herds, Flocks, Leaps, Gaggles, Scurries, and More!

PreS-Gr 3-A flamboyance of flamingos in Marie Antoinette wigs, a mischief of mice with beady eyes and crooked eyebrows, and a murder of grows brandishing a dagger in a graveyard round out this illustrated guide to collective nouns. This literal menagerie offers readers a brief definition and history of collective nouns before diving in with an exquisite and whimsical set of animals. Berger's illustrations are collages crafted from old books, catalogs, letters and more. The narrators of the collection are a monkey and a circus ringmaster, introducing each group with a silly question and fun word play. Even the end pages are not wasted as the monkey and ringmaster muse on the number of animals contained within the pages of the book. While simple, the content is incredibly fun and engaging. Small details on each page bring the definitions to life, offering a vibrancy to each noun. For example, the parade of penguins march through the snow, playing instruments and twirling batons, while the lounge of lizards bask in the sun, sipping lemonade and wearing sun hats.