Maisy goes on a nature walk

PreS-K--Maisy and her friends Tallulah, Charlie, Cyril, and Eddie are back for an adventure al fresco. The animals gather to walk in nature and examine the various ecosystems of the local park. The first stop is the pond, which is teeming with critters and plant life both above and below the surface. Beyond the pond lies a forest and a wildflower garden, full of shy deer, tweeting birds, and busy insects that Maisy and her crew take time to study and observe. And after a long walk, the group takes a well-deserved respite to create a play fort and have a picnic. This next installment in the "Maisy First Experiences" series uses a familiar formula that consistently works for young readers. Cousins knows her audience well, and fills the text with preschool-perfect observational questions, animal sounds, and enthusiastic dialogue; her classic illustrative style is perennially recognizable and captivating to little eyes. VERDICT Maisy's next adventure introduces early STEM concepts in an entertaining package. A must for most collections.--Sarah Simpson

From the undersides of logs to the tops of trees, Maisy and her friends explore nature at a park. Cousins' popular character, the white mouse Maisy, is on an outdoor adventure in this new addition to the Maisy First Experiences series. She and her friends--Tallulah the chick, Charley the crocodile, Cyril the squirrel, and Eddie the elephant--visit a pond and build a fort, then end their day with a picnic. Cousins' appealing illustrations feature the bold colors and heavy black lines that have become a trademark of her Maisy books. The text invites reader participation, asking questions like "Who can you see?" to encourage children to look for animals in a woodland scene. Children will want to linger on certain pages, looking at all of the critters that fill the pond and the insects hiding beneath logs and leaves. None of the organisms are labeled, which may disappoint some readers, and a few of them--like a blue beetle-looking bug--can be ambiguous. For adults seeking books that show children how to explore nature respectfully, this doesn't fit the bill: Tallulah picks daisies, and the fauna are not left undisturbed, both of which are generally frowned upon in nature parks where observation only is key. That said, this succeeds as a picture book that positively encourages adventuring in the great outdoors. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A basic introduction to nature exploration that's nice enough but nothing remarkable. (Picture book. 2-4) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.