What could possibly be more adorable than lots of fuzzy baby animals with biiig dark eyes, stubby little legs (oooh), and waggy tails (awww)? Take a guess. Redeemed from Joan Walsh Anglund-style saccharinity by its playful tone, the narrative weighs a succession of stereotypically cute, small creatures against a never-seen "you" and finds them wanting. "Two kittens with a ball of yarn? / A line of fuzzy yellow ducklings? // A squirrel eating a doughnut with his tiny hands? / Adorable, sure. But next to you? Meh." Hanson follows suit in her bright illustrations, the roly-poly darlings in her bright illustrations placed on white space for maximum focus. They sport oversized heads with fetching smiles and wide, slightly crossed eyeshard but not, with a little effort, impossible to resist. The appearance of a newborn giraffe ("SO. UNBELIEVABLY. SWEET") brings a suspenseful moment of weakness, but "No! NO WAY! They are NOT as adorable as you. Not NEARLY." Whew! "Next to you, even a baby seal doesn't stand a chance," Houran concludes. "And you know what? I'm happy to benext to you." All those baby animals sleeping together in a heap at the end amount to nothing less than a nearly lethal overdose of cuteness. A refreshing alternative to hypersentimental entries in the "I love you more than anything!" genre: sincere without being goopy. (Picture book. 2-5) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Readers in need of a little flattery will have no trouble finding it as Houran's unseen narrator insists that a parade of increasingly adorable animals is nothing compared to a certain young human. "Next to you," she begins, "the softest puppy in the world is only kind of cute.... A squirrel eating a doughnut with his tiny hands? Adorable, sure. But next to you? Meh. Just OK." Hanson (D Is for Duck Calls) doesn't drop the ball on her end-her impossibly fuzzy ducklings, wobbly-legged fawns, and baby bunnies with eyes as big as their ears set a high bar for cuteness. (They also create a bit of a Golden Books feel, fitting given Houran's former role as editorial director of that imprint.) Is there such a thing as cute overload? Maybe. As unequivocally cuddly as these animals are, the conceit starts to drag after a while. But Houran's irreverent tone and some clever details like an opening page where gift-givers can write the name of their favorite child, "who is just the cutest," get the job done. Ages 4-8. Illustrator's agent: Justin Rucker, Shannon Associates. (Mar.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.