Hello, Day!  by Anita Lobel  (2008)

This simplest of picture books is just right for sharing with very young groups.  A full page color illustration clearly shows a farm animal on each page, with their animal sound on a white page opposite (“The Cow said, ‘Moo.’”).  The satisfying ending, where we learn that all the animals meant “Hello, day!” and then night falls with an owl to finish it off, turns it into more than just a list of animals and sounds.  The simplicity and focus makes this a strong vocabulary book, as babies learn the animal names and sounds, and there’s plenty of room to talk more about each animal too. 

- Steven Engelfried