With a visual guessing game as the premise, McCarthy's first book for children challenges youngsters to look at nature through the lens of graphic design. "Look!" she writes, introducing a series of three seemingly abstract images. "What do you... [turn the page] see?" Over these several pages, she zooms out to reveal a more complete picture. Simple shapes or lines (e.g., a black circle centered on a russet field) become part of the ingenious patterning that distinguishes a ladybug, the petals of a cardinal flower, or throat and wings of a hummingbird. The final image, a vibrant garden, shows each of the starring objects in proper perspective, and underscores the point that nature teems with intricate, elegant designs. McCarthy's handmade-paper collages make striking use of the bold lines and dramatic colors that preschoolers like. Despite their beauty, however, the compositions are static, a problem exacerbated by the repeated use of the same text and page breaks throughout the book. Readers are apt to nod along dutifully, but the book feels more like an attractive lesson plan rather than a voyage of discovery. Ages 2-5. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

(Preschool) "Look! / What do you... / see?" McCarthy poses this simple question three times; in each instance, the illustrations lead viewers to a different answer. For every question-and-answer pair, the text proceeds over four double-page spreads, giving readers and viewers a chance to study McCarthy's stunning handmade-paper-and-collage illustrations and reinforcing the book's charge to slow down and observe the world. At first, a close-up view ("Look!") zooms in on a basic shape or pattern: for example, a large black circle set against a dark red background. The next three spreads move out in increments, eventually revealing the whole object and offering preschoolers plenty of opportunities to guess the answer ("A bug"). In the end, we're treated to an even bigger picture: the three things -- a bug, a flower, and a bird -- co-existing with other insects, plants, and animals (look very closely for these) in a colorful garden. The guessing-game aspect will draw listeners in to this gentle lesson in observation and perspective, and McCarthy's large-scale, beautifully composed pictures should play well both with groups and one-on-one. The last page brings the focus back to the book's main characters, offering brief factual information on ladybugs, cardinal flowers, and hummingbirds. A Closer Look rewards exactly that. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

PreS-Gr 2-Beginning with a close-up image of an object, and then progressively pulling back to present a broader view, McCarthy asks readers, "Look! What do you-see?" The first spread shows a large black circle against a deep red background, and the illustrations gradually zoom out to reveal a ladybug perched on a leaf. The next series of pictures takes the same approach to depict a colorful cardinal flower, while a third set shows a ruby-throated hummingbird. The final two spreads balance out the book nicely: the first shows two hummingbirds feeding on the flowers while ladybugs crawl on the leaves below, followed by a landscape view featuring a smaller version of this particular plant surrounded by other blooms. Rendered from handmade papers and collage, the bold artwork is elegant and eye-catching. The broad lines, simple graphic images, and textured details suit the magnified perspectives, while the more expansive scenes are beautifully composed. As children take a closer look at the pages, they will enjoy making guesses and experience a sense of discovery that ties in neatly with the book's nature theme. Use this offering to focus observation skills and stimulate imaginations, or pair it with George Shannon's White Is for Blueberry (HarperCollins, 2005) to explore how we perceive the natural world.-Joy Fleishhacker, School Library Journal (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Often, we have to step back to see the bigger picture: Step back from a single black spot to see that indeed it is only one of a pair upon a ladybug's back. Retreat further still and see that this bug is just one among many in a fine and colorful garden that was earlier outside our field of vision. Cunningly combed feathering on full-bleed endpapers has quite a different impact when viewed macroscopically from the effect it has when miniaturized to become the delicate plumage of a hummingbird's wing. Step back and see. McCarthy is a papermaker/calligrapher/collage artist whose marvelous hand-made book creations have been privately collected and displayed in eminent institutions for years. She applies her keen sense of color, concept and craft here in a dynamic demonstration of the impact of perspective, which inexorably affects understanding and will challenge young readers to look closer. Add this to Barbara Lehman's The Red Book (2004) and Istvan Banyai's Zoom (1995) for a captivating concept study in the art room, the science lab or for a lesson in visual literacy. (Picture book. 5-10) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.