Here's a debut that's sure to make a splash--for both author-artist Zachariah OHora and his otter hero, Bernard. The entire palette consists of the colors you see on the cover: mustard yellow, burnt orange, otter-tank aqua and chocolate brown. These tones, printed on cream-colored paper with bold, black outlines and blocky text bring to mind classic picture books of the 1930s and '40s.
Children will see themselves in Bernard, an affable otter who loves living at the zoo. "He loved mealtime, playtime, and best of all... naptime!" In a swim tank filled with otter friends, youngsters will easily identify Bernard as the slightly darker chocolaty fellow with his eyes wide open. They may also notice one other otter floating in the upper right-hand corner with his brow deeply furrowed. He's the one who, on the next page, tells the hero, "Snore somewhere else, Bernard!" So Bernard moves to a lake. Giant 3-D block-like black letters that glow with fire-red outlines trumpet the word "S-N-O-R-E!" and two yellow snouts appear nearby. "Stop snoring, Bernard!" shouts a mustard-yellow gator on the next page, so loudly that the startled Bernard jumps as high as the bridge. He next tries a fountain (the giraffes are not pleased), a puddle (a mean mother elephant douses him with her trunk--even her calf looks upset) and a cave--which works well until its nocturnal inhabitants return to sleep by day. Just as a defeated Bernard heads toward the exit, his otter friends find him, and Grumpy Giles apologizes. Children will love joining in with the call-and-response refrain ("S-N-O-R-E!"/ "Stop snoring, Bernard!"), and Bernard's alternative nap spots, all located within the zoo's environs, contribute to an overall feeling of familiarity and safety. This is a crowd-pleaser sure to send youngsters clamoring for more from snoring Bernard.--Jennifer M. Brown