From morning to night, five brightly colored little elephants march in a line, up and down, under and over, round and round, introducing simple concepts to very young children. Although the text is spare, a subtle use of word play (double meanings for “round” and “done,” for example) adds surprise, as does the final trumpeting before the elephants fall asleep at night. The heavy brown outlines contrast with the soft pinks, blues, greens, and yellows, and anchor the watercolor illustrations, keeping the elephants in line. Exquisite bookmaking includes heavy creamy paper, day and night endpapers, and a front cover that shows the front of the elephant and a back cover that shows the elephant’s backside. This elegant book for babies and toddlers offers so many pleasures to both the eye and the ear that they and their parents will enjoy reading it again and again. (Ages 9 months–3 years)