Erwin Moser (1954–2017)

First sentence: The hedgehog's cozy as can be.
Now count the ravens: one, two, three.
The worm lives in her apple-house.
Up in the attic lives the mouse.
The owl is too awake to dream.
The trout is swimming up the stream.
The goat enjoys the morning air.
Those pesky flies get everywhere!

Premise/plot: Yesterday I reviewed What Cats Like Best and What Bears Like Best. All three books are similar. Rhyming couplets featuring animals. No cohesive story, just rhymes that follow a pleasant rhythm.

My thoughts: I was skeptical a bit at first. My first impression was meh. (Just being honest). But the second time I read them when I was actually writing the review, they began to grow on me a bit. I think knowing that there wasn't a story, that there was no narrative, helped me appreciate them for what they actually do. Here we have rhyme that follows rhythm. Now it is relatively easy to rhyme; I think it comes somewhat naturally. Rhythm is trickier. Some authors get by with very clunky rhythm to their rhymes.… (meer)

First sentence: The eagle's sitting on her nest.
A walk is what the bear loves best.
The parrot's longing to be free.
The little chick says, "Look at me!"
The hippo's wading through the mud.
The beaver's dam's about to flood.

Premise/plot: Looking for rhyming couplets? Rhyming couplets that star all sorts of different animals? Perhaps this poetry book will be a good fit for you. Each spread rhymes with each other. There is no cohesive story.

My thoughts: These rhyming books are beginning to grow on me the more I read them. I do like the rhythm and rhyme of it. As long as your expectations are reasonable. Now that I know more what to expect, I'm liking them more.… (meer)

First sentence: The polar bear likes snow, not sun!
The hare eats cabbage by the ton.
The cats are waiting for their tea.
The mouse says, "Please don't look at me!"
The rooster cries out, "Time to wake!"
The panda likes to take a break.

Premise/plot: What you see is NOT what you get. If you are expecting thirty-two pages of kitties, then you'll be disappointed. I knew it was "rhymes for children," but at the very least I thought they would mostly be cat-themed rhymes. Each spread contains a rhyme--a couplet, I believe. But each page stands on its own. There is no continuity. There's plenty of rhyme but not so evident reason.

My thoughts: Erwin Moser was an Austrian author/illustrator. Once you get an idea of what the book is and isn't, then it is easier to "forgive" it for not being about cats. The rhythm seems solid in my opinion, so there's that at least.… (meer)