Armadillo Antics

Armadillos could be an interesting subject for a picture book as most children probably know little about the creatures. This book, however, does not give much good information about armadillos, and in fact, has a number of inaccuracies. It starts by implying the only creature out at night is an armadillo, but within the same sentence says wolves are also awake.

There are several spreads that have similar (and annoying) singsong rhymes repeating “Armadillo, Armadillo, Armadillo _____” followed by a line sometimes with a forced or near rhyme. There is a single page of armadillo facts at the back of the book to give a little substance to the book, but there is little else to recommend it.

While the rhythm and rhyme may be enough to engage the very youngest of listeners, the book has no real story to pull most readers through. The mixed-media artwork is somewhat sophisticated and not likely to be attractive to youngsters. Readers who loved earlier books by Bill Martin Jr., such as Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? and Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, will be sorely disappointed with this one.