These clever creators’ final collaboration arrives 40 years after their first, <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?, joining two previous bear sequels. Much in the same vein as its predecessors, this appealingly cadenced story introduces a sequence of animals, dramatically yet simply depicted in textured collage art against white backdrops. Readers first spot Baby Bear climbing a tree, responding to the question posed in the title: “I see a red fox slipping by me.” Red Fox in turn spies a flying squirrel gliding by, who sees a mountain goat climbing nearby, who sees a blue heron flying by and so on until a screech owl—gazing wide-eyed at the reader—sees “a mama bear looking at me.” A large-scale image of Mama Bear is followed by a spread revealing what she sees: each of the previously featured animals and (most satisfyingly) “my baby bear looking at me—that’s what I see!” Creative action words and renderings of the various creatures in motion give the book a pleasing energy, while Mama Bear’s obvious delight at finding her cub provides an endearing poignancy. The elegant balance of art, text, emotion and exposition is a Martin and Carle hallmark; they have crafted a lovely finale to an enduring series. Ages 2-8. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Aug.)

Forty years ago, Martin and a newcomer named Eric Carle launched a cottage industry with their now-beloved classic, Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? (1967). After narrowing the original book's broad purview in two sequels, Polar Bear, Polar Bear, What Do You Hear? (1991), about zoo animals, and Panda Bear, Panda Bear, What Do You See? (2003), about endangered animals, this third sequel continues the thematic approach with an all-American assemblage and attention paid to the continent's many regions (a mountain goat, a rattlesnake, and a blue heron are among the creatures depicted). Martin's rhythmic text cleaves to the familiar pattern and leads readers from one double-page animal portrait to another, all crisply set against white backgrounds. Adults may appreciate the educational prospects of the North American angle, but the appeal here for the youngest children with the book's predecessors ll be in examining the complex, collaged textures within Carle's simple forms and in gleefully anticipating the appearance of each critter in the sequence.

In these somewhat superfluous brand-extending easy reader versions of two more of Martin and Carle's picture books, the trim size is smaller, and the texts are broken into short phrases. Back matter includes a letter to parents and teachers and further activities.

In its fourth—and billed as final—iteration, this primary level Q-and-A introduces ten North American mammals, from red fox and blue heron to rattlesnake, mule deer and finally (unspecified, but possibly Kodiak) Mama Bear. As always, Carle's spread-filling painted-paper constructs capture a true sense of the animals' looks, depicting each in a natural pose, gazing invitingly up at young viewers. As with its predecessors, the introduction of new material within a familiar, interactive structure makes a winning formula for keying new and pre-readers into colors, sequences and nature. Martin died in 2004—here's a fitting close to what will likely remain his most lasting work for children. (Picture book. 3-5)

PreS-Gr 1-This final collaboration by a gifted duo focuses on 10 animals native to America. The language includes actions typical of the creature highlighted-"Blue heron, blue heron, what do you see?/I see a prairie dog digging by me." The animals, in colorful collages set against stark white backgrounds, strut, slide, glide, and hoot across the full spreads. A terrific read-aloud destined to rank high with the other titles by Martin and Carle.-Linda M. Kenton, San Rafael Public Library, CA Copyright 2007 Reed Business Information.