WHO MEOWS? A BOOK OF ANIMAL SOUNDS by Robin Page, Simon & Schuster/Beach Lane, May 2025, 32p., ISBN: 978-1-6659-5956-8

“Horse went NEIGH!

Cow went MOO!

Sheep went BAA!

Dog went BOO!

Goose went QUACK!

Duck went SPLISHY-SPLASHY!

Hen went CHIPSY-CHOPSY!

Cat went FIDDLE-I-FEE! FIDDLE-I-FEE!”

–from the version of the traditional folksong that I was taught in my 1988 Early Childhood Education Music and Movement class, and which I subsequently taught to a generation of preschoolers.

“Who meows?”

[page turn to a spread with a full-page in-your-face cat face]

“A cat meows. 

Who gobbles?”

[full-page in-your-face turkey face]

“A turkey gobbles.

Who croaks?”

[full-page in-your-face frog face]...

The husband-and-wife team of Steve Jenkins and Robin Page have created a good number of memorable nonfiction picture books about critters past and present, large and small. They include APEX PREDATORS: TOP KILLERS OF THE PAST AND PRESENT; DOWN, DOWN, DOWN: A JOURNEY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA; and the wonderful Caldecott Honor book, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A TALE LIKE THIS? Thanks to the high-quality information contained in these books, coupled with Page’s award-winning artwork, I consider them picture books for older readers (certainly up through third or fourth grades)..

WHO MEOWS? is perfect for a younger audience. Here, artist Robin Page has crafted a picture book with a predictable call-and-response sequencing that is matched with truly awesome facial depictions of owls and cows and crows and mice and (“Who giggles?”) a great image of a giggling young rug rat.

WHO MEOWS? takes me back, half a lifetime ago, to the child development center where I was then spending my days setting up free-choice activity centers and leading daily morning and afternoon circle times. WHO MEOWS? is one of those books that early childhood educators leading circle times can employ a couple of times a month forever and ever. 

You read them the prompt: “Who meows?” 

You get them to all call out the answer. “CATS!”

You then encourage them [with a hand cupped to your ear] to get them to all get their meows out for a few moments. Then you move on to the next prompt.

These exciting interactive circle time readings can readily be reinforced with free-time opportunities for the young students to craft animal masks, paint animal pictures, bring in photos to share of their pets or neighborhood critters; and engage in related dramatic play. 

And you can get them singing great animal songs like Fiddle-I-Fee.

I ain’t just quacking, folks. You definitely need to see these awesome creature faces!

Richie Partington, MLIS

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