The story of Noah’s Ark has inspired creative imaginations for generations, but this one offers a whole new angle. In Stephen Krensky’s pre-Flood world, animals made whatever sound came out of their mouths: beavers crowed, snakes quacked, and pigs howled. The cacophony they caused when they were all together below decks on the ark was more than Noah could bear. To establish order, he assigned single sounds to specific animals and gave them specific roles to play so they could warn him of problems like leaks, big waves, and a passenger overboard. This hilarious picture book won’t be a substitute for the original story, but it provides a playful extension, and younger listeners may delight in assigning the wrong sounds to the various animals on the ark, as they are spelled out in large letters throughout the bold, stylized illustrations. (Ages 4–7)