Imagine we were by Renee Bennett

Ill. by Claire Richards. Wombat Books, 2012. ISBN 978 1921633 63 8.
(Ages 4-6) Picture book. Love. A rhyming read a loud story, this will have wide appeal to parents and grandparents with its emphasis on families and their offspring.
Each double page begins with the same refrain, 'Imagine we were . . .' and talks about a different animal or insect, going on to introduce their offspring and ending with how special that baby is to its parent. It is a lovely concept, repeated for bees, cats, dogs, hens, horses, cows and finally humans. Each shows the animal and its offspring, with the noise that animal makes, encouraging the child to join in with the noise. Each animal then tells how special its baby is to it until finally the whole ends up with the human child and parent having a cuddle.
A deft introduction to parent and child in a range of animals, with an emphasis on bonding and caring for that baby, the book will introduce sights and sounds to the younger child, encouraging them to join with the opening refrain in each sequence, predict what the rhyme will be and say the sounds of the animal and join in with the cuddles at the end. A treat for all grandparents to share with their grandchildren or anyone with a spare moment to read and share.
Fran Knight