Review: What Does An Anteater Eat?

Here’s something you may not know about me: giant anteaters are my favourite animal! So when Nosy Crow offered me the chance to review their new picture book, What Does An Anteater Eat?, there was no way I was turning them down…

Book: What Does An Anteater Eat? by Ross Collins

Read before: No

Ownership: Review copy sent free of charge from publisher. All opinions my own.

This book is so adorable! Everything from the colours to the expressions to the funny storyline works together to make this a cute and humorous read that should have adults smiling as well as kids. Even if I didn’t already love anteaters, I think I’d love the main character just for the personality he exudes!

The artwork is quite minimal, with gorgeous block colour backgrounds that hover halfway between pastel and bright. The simplicity of the design is lovely to look at, and really helps to draw the eye to the animals that Anteater meets on his journey to find out what he should eat. The animals themselves have a sketchy quality that makes them feel really animated and alive, and I particularly love the floofy expressiveness of Anteater’s tail, which telegraphs his feelings really well.

The format of the story kind of reminded me of Jon Klassen’s I Want My Hat Back, with the main character travelling around and asking other creatures about what he likes to eat, but it’s a format that works, and it’s different enough that it’s still very enjoyable. The array of weird and wonderful (and often unhelpful!) answers is really funny, and though you think you may know where it’s going, the ending subverts expectations, and I defy you not to at least smile at its silliness!

What Does An Anteater Eat? is a fun, sunshiney book that should amuse and delight readers. Five out of five cats (or should that be anteaters?)!