I really loved this cute little book about animals that play and how they interact with each other. The illustrations were really cute and vibrant and really drew me in.

The art is really cute and the text are very short which is a nice starter and introduction for young kids. The end of the book has more detailed facts about each animal introduced.

Thank you Netgalley for providing me with a digital copy for an honest review.

My 4 & 1/2 year old son absolutely loved this book! It was so much fun with emphasis on action words, that he wanted to act out the way every animal played and everything they did. The illustrations were absolutely gorgeous, which is obviously just as important as a great story, when it comes to Children's books! This book was even fun for me to read and I didn't even mind that we read it countless times before bed!

Whimsical words introduce how animals in the wild like to have fun while they're playing, just like kids like to play, too! This book is a fun ride around the world that introduces the child to all kinds of fun vocabulary, whether action words and adverbs or different kinds of animals that you don't traditionally find in children's books. I even learned about a few more. The illustrations are also really cute and attractive to kids. I like how there's also a little box that gives a bit more of a serious explanation about the animals' behavior in some cases. If you really want to know more, there's a lot more information in the back. It's really a lot of fun to read out loud and would be a fun addition to a classroom library.

Thank you to the publisher for fulfilling my review request via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was super cute. Loved all the vocabulary and my daughter was so super excited we read it 6 times in a row. I loved everything about it. I loved the illustrations and the adorable little actions. Well done and definitely a book we will be ordering. It got my pre-schooler asking me questions about animals too. Win win!!

I love books that bring a vocabulary focus to help kids learn! This book does this with many action verbs that alone could be a great educational tool. This is a fun book to read with littles that are learning sounds and there are facts about the animals for the older kids as well. The illustrations are beautiful and it is a quick read for any child who loves books on animals. Learning how to play like an animal can also creates options for kids to get up and moving physically. It's a sweet story with a fun and unique point of view!

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. Who wants to play like an elephant or a hippo? Kids will enjoy this book as they can act like animals too.

Play Like an Animal! by Maria Gianferrari is an beautifully illustrated children's book that teaches about the way animals play and how that prepares them for life. There are a wide variety of animals showcased and in some cases, the situation can be used by children playing with their pets. Then of course, we can see that when children play, they are doing the same types of things as the animals and learning the same life skills. Through play they discover how to play fairly, co-operate, play by the rules and show compassion along with others. Once again, as an adult, I also learned a few things from this book along with my grandson. He also enjoyed the fun facts that were added to the illustrations. He was also able to read much of the book with me, which is also a bonus. My granddaughter who is younger, just loved the animals and what they were doing, so this book can be enjoyed by various ages. The illustrations were wonderful. They were colourful and full of action. I definitely recommend this one to families, classrooms and libraries. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book upon request. The rating, ideas and opinions shared are my own.

Animals of all stripes and colors love to play just like we do, and for a variety of reasons: to learn new skills and ways of moving, to enhance cooperation and communication with others, to practice defending themselves against predators, and yes, even to have fun! Featuring joyful, playful illustrations of rhinos, monkeys, dolphins, elephants, and other animals, Gianferrari and Powell have created a rollicking look at animals at play. Back matter extends the learning with additional facts about each featured animal, the importance of play to animals in general, and additional reading to learn more on the subject.

Factual information on how and why animals play is detailed in this lively informational picture book, using a text featuring energetic descriptions. There are two levels of text; the main is in larger typeface and describes the play, while small boxes in orange feature more facts printed in a smaller typeface. For example, the main text states “Race, Hang, Chase! Monkeys play in trees,” while the smaller paragraph explains that monkeys play this way to learn to evade predators and to build up their muscles. This will work well as a read-aloud at storytime or for a primary grade class. The full color painted artwork depicts realistic animals but with facial expressions and have a joyous style that is very appealing; a few illustrations show culturally diverse children playing. The extensive back matter is also helpful, with a paragraph of information on each animal mentioned and a bibliography.

Play Like an Animal is a picture book explaining the various ways that animals play and what they learn from that type of play. For example: Rhinos splash and roll in mud. The mud coats their skin to protect them from the sun and keep them cool. The book is good for younger children. I would suggest an age range of 4-9.

Employing great verbs - like plonk, chase, slide and glide, dunk and punch, and bound and wrestle - this book encourages kids to play, just like the animals. This is a wonderful book showing how playing makes you smarter and ready to face challenges. Sidebars and back matter expand on the the animals and how they play in this excellent #STEM book.

This is a cute little book for encouraging learning through play! Would be great for a Montessori school or any pre-k or early elementary classroom. Encouraging the kids to act out the same play as the animals would be a fun classroom activity! And a great way to get kids moving! They also learn about animals and how animals learn as well! Lots of diverse animals they may not have heard of before will keep kids intrigued! Also a great example of onomatopoeia! Fun, cute book that will encourage children's playful side!

I love the vocabulary/language to explain how many different animals play and practice life skills, just like children.
Words like wallowing, vault, frolic, chortle are new for many young readers, and even ungulates and keas are new animals to discover.
Have fun playing - and reading this book - with a young friend.

This book works on so many levels. It's full of playful action vocabulary, a variety of animals from around the world, and embedded explanations that add more in-depth information regarding that featured animal.

Animals love to play. As they do they learn to socialize and absorb survival skills. Through their playtimes they discover how to play fairly, co-operate, play by the rules and show compassion, just to name a few. Some of the animals are unfamiliar to me and I love that because I got to learn also as I was reading through. The author features: collared peccaries, rhinos, monkeys, ravens, river otters, dolphins, elephants, kangaroos, rats, owls, ungulates, gorillas, keas, and.....YOU!

The illustrator uses paints, handmade textures and digital techniques to highlight where and how the animals celebrate their playfulness. To make the book interactive and even more fun she includes her own black dog in some of the illustrations. On her jacket-flap bio she encourages kids to find him. That's a fun feature.

The author includes more in-depth, animals facts, and cites further reading opportunities to learn even more interesting facts at at the end of the book. I highly recommend it.

Maria Gianferrari playfully explores the animal kingdom and how they play. With colorful illustrations the book, captures the readers attention and educates them with facts about the animals.

I think in the hands of the right reader this could be really enjoyable at story time. The word play works and the illustrations are engaging. Plus, added info bits are a great way for kids to learn more about the animals in the books.

I thoroughly enjoyed learning about the animals this book presented. It is a book that is good for several different age groups and I could see this book being given to a toddler to be read the large print with fun sound words. Then then for a school age child to read more indepth information about the animals presented in the red boxes and in the back of the book. I also appreciate the links to get more information on an animal that peaks your interest while reading. Not only does it talk about animals, but it discusses commonalities with us and why we should play and exercise.
I think this book is informative and a book that can be used through many years and ages.

A beautifully illustrated picture book about how and why animals play. The prose is very simple and often accompanied by a small box of deeper explanations. The recommendation says ages 5-9 but to me it seems to be geared more towards toddlers and preschool ages.

#SmallMatters

#PlayLikeanAnimal #NetGalley
I don't know about you but over the years I have spent hours at different zoos or on wildlife shows watching animals play. It is captivating. This book is the next best thing to being there. There are 30 full and inviting pages of animals at play. Each animal or animal family gets 2 pages. On the first page are one word descriptions of what the animals are doing. and on the next a brief explanation of how this play will lead to essential life long skills that will keep them alive. There are animals from around the world: peccaries from Central or South America, there are Keas from New Zealand, there are kangaroos from Australia, gorillas and elephants from Africa , rhinoceros and antelopes from Southeast and Euroasia.
I highly recommend this book for children from preschool to 2nd grade. It will be a favorite for repeated readings.
Play Like an Animal!: Why Critters Splash, Race, Twirl and Chase.