Toddlers and young children love animals and guessing games, so Meerkat’s Safari is a natural winner.

Our friend, the Meerkat, leads us on an adventure to meet some of the other animals of Africa.

Each mini riddle starts with animal tracks and a rhyming clue. Turn the page and the reader learns the identity of the animal and some fun facts. The descriptions of Meerkat’s friends go beyond the usual, to include lesser known trivia. Children enjoy learning and sharing this new knowledge. My daughter loves “rubbing cheeks” to say goodnight, just like the lions “in the book.”

The illustrations, by Michelle Barbera, have a slick, but still charming, hyper-realistic computer-generated animation feel. Purists may take issue with the anthropomorphic activities (a flamingo with a snorkeling mask, for example), but most adults will appreciate the cute and clever visual gags.

This first effort by author Claudia Graziano is a welcome addition to our children’s library and we look forward to more of Meerkat’s Adventures.

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WANT IT: Buy Meerkat’s Safari from Meerkat’s Adventures ($12.99 signed by the author) or buy Meerkat’s Safari from Amazon ($10.87).

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