A straightforward question gets twisted into a silly resolution in this latest from Collins (Singing Dad and Other Stories). "I'm hungry," announces a bushy-tailed, long-nosed anteater at the outset; the problem is that it doesn't know what it's supposed to eat. ("I know this sounds odd," the polite but befuddled protagonist admits.) Unfortunately, when he tries asking other animals for help, their self-absorption limits their ability to advise. A sloth is too busy lying around. A toucan and self-declared "melon expert" suggests watermelon (anatomical differences pose an insurmountable challenge for the long-snouted hero). And a python, lumpy with earlier meals, recommends that "you chew your food." Comic tension builds as ants march quietly through the spreads, their count increasing each time a new animal is approached (a subtle thread that eagle-eyed young readers will enjoy following). Expressive creatures done in watercolor and charcoal display distinct personalities, especially the likable but oblivious star. When the anteater at last stumbles upon an anthill beneath a banana tree, it seems like the tale can only end one way-until the scramming ants reveal an unexpected conclusion. Ages 2-5. (July) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

After waking from a nap, an anteater finds that he's forgotten what he eats, and so he consults other jungle animals in this zany turn on the Little Red Hen. A sloth, draped over a limb, says he's too busy to respond. A python, whose long body containing several visible digesting lumps festoons itself across the page, advises the anteater to chew his food. A hungry-looking crocodile offers a dead fish from between her wide-open jaws, and a leopard licks her lips while telling the anteater that he looks very tasty. Every double-page spread is backgrounded by a solid shade of pastel reflecting the mood of the scene, with a soft beige highlighting the lazy sloth and a screaming red warning of the dangerous leopard. Collins' watercolor and charcoal illustrations present simple, cartoonish scenes suitable for the youngest readers. Ants appear on every spread, increasing in number by one per page, but the dopey-looking protagonist is oblivious to them. Comical from start to finish, with a screamingly funny ending.--Connie Fletcher Copyright 2019 Booklist

A peckish anteater wonders what to nosh on.An anteater wakes up hungry, sets off to find some yums, and comes upon a sloth. "Good morning. I know this sounds odd, but do you happen to know what an anteater eats?" The lazing sloth says it's too busy to answer, so the anteater moves on. A toucan suggests the anteater have some watermelon, but the anteater's mouth is too small. A lumpy python with a rather nauseated look on its face confesses it doesn't know but advises chewing food well. An alligator offers old fish (which is "delicious")the anteater declines. The bats are too busy hunting dinner to help, and the cheetah thinks the anteater looks yummy. When the anteater finally asks some seriously busy ants what to eat, their panicked response says everythingkind of. The ants flee, and the anteater enjoys the bananas they were carrying back to their hill. Collins' cartoon illustrations in watercolor and charcoal are bright and engaging. Ants march along the bottoms of most double-page spreads as the anteater moves through a generic forest landscape looking to find breakfast. Listeners will giggle all the way through because they know the answer. The text is made up entirely of dialogue, the anteater's set in boldface roman type and the other animals' in italics.The silliness should have little listeners asking for repeat readings. (Picture book. 2-6) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.