No one can judge a book better than its intended audience. So we sent a few new books — all about animals — to one of our favorite young critics, Camille Flurry, age 3.

Olivia Forms a Band
by Ian Falconer
I love this one soooo much!
Is Olivia a rabbit or a pig? She’s piggyish. She looks funny without clothes on.
Where’s the daddy?
That’s you and that’s me. And where’s the daddy? Oh, there he is reading a paper.
I want to put red lipstick on like Olivia. She’s funny.
I can turn the page, I can do it.
Can I have a playdate with Olivia? Can I go over to her house? Can I be in a rock band with Olivia? Her mother says no.
Where are all of her friends?
Can we get watermelon like Olivia? It’s super yummy for me. We don’t have watermelon. Why don’t we have watermelon?
Is she a girl or a boy?
How old is Olivia? She’s 3.
She’s funny like me; she’s 3 like me.
Let’s read that again. Now it’s my turn to read it.

Don’t Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!
by Mo Willems
Read me the chicken story, Mama. This is going to be a funny one.
Can you make me some blueberry pancakes for breakfast?
Am I going to keep this book forever?
I think Roan must have sent me this book. He likes chickens.
Hey, that’s a plan: We can take this book to the fort and I’ll read it to Roan and we can stay up late like the chicken. Is that a great idea?
I really want that pancake.

The Room of Wonders
by Sergio Ruzzier
I collect things, too, like the rat. Remember the time we found crab shells on the beach?
I like the way that he’s smiling at me.
The pages feel good: They’re very soft.
Remember when I found that big rock from the beach? I was a baby then [ED NOTE: two weeks ago]. Yeah, that was cool.
Is the mouse a boy or a girl?
Why is that rat sad? That was not very nice of his friends to make him sad about his plain rock.
Hey, I know, maybe we should just tell that mouse not to listen to them.
Mouse, I mean pack rat, maybe you should just keep adding to your collection. Don’t listen to those angry friends.

All books available online at amazon.com.