Hide and Seek

PreS-K—In a lush meadow, a small girl plays hide-and-seek with a bear, a raccoon, and a rabbit. As she counts to 10, her animal friends scamper for cover among the abundant blooms. While the child searches for the creatures in the tall grass, peeks under a little bridge, and checks a hole in a tree, a wolf creeps closer and closer to the quartet, with seemingly nefarious intentions. Frustrated that everyone keeps moving around, the girl demands to take a turn at hiding. When the friends can't find her, they notice and accuse the wolf. All is well when the little scamp reveals herself hanging upside down from the tree. The final wordless spread shows five friends walking through the sunset meadow holding hands (and paws). Though told in short simple sentences, the narrative is enlivened by Noakes's expansive illustrations, featuring verdant landscapes, cuddly playful animals, and a spunky heroine. Readers will enjoy spotting the hidden animals even while the child fails to find them.