Bright, distinctively stylized illustrations perfectly convey the dynamic volume of this picture book’s young protagonist. The little girl “came upon an elephant blowing bubbles in the water. But something scared the elephant away.” It’s the little girl’s big voice, which also scares a snake and a crocodile, but when she encounters a lion the little girl meets her match! Not to worry, though. The lion just roars, which makes the little girl laugh, and the two play until day’s end. Author/illustrator Kristen Balouch uses color, shape, and composition to marvelous effect, with bright, bold arcs of color radiating from the girl’s wide pink mouth when she’s loud, and the same mouth a slim pink crescent when she isn’t. The unusual palette and energetic design of this refreshingly un cautionary tale is a celebration of a small girl’s big way of being in the world. (Ages 2–5)

In this vibrantly illustrated picture book, one loud little girl is on the hunt for a friend. She searches the jungle high and low, but her BIG voice scares all the animals away! One by one, an elephant, a snake, and a croc quickly retreat from the girl’s booming vocals, until at last she finds the perfect playmate—whose “roar” is even louder than her own!