What’s That Noise? by Naomi Howarth (review)

When Magnus the seal’s slumber is disturbed by a loud grumbling noise, he’s insistent on figuring out its source: “What’s that noise?” Magnus visits different animals in the Arctic, starting with Hare, and gathers followers interested in getting to the bottom of the mystery. “Is it the creaking of the trees?” he asks Owl; “Is it the whistling of the wind?” he asks Fox; “Is it the cracking of the ice?” he asks Bear. Walrus has the sagest advice—“Dive into the water and catch the plumpest, pinkest shrimp you can find”—and the noise stops, because it was Magnus’ stomach growling. The animals then pile into a heap to sleep, but the grumbling restarts as Magnus snores. This UK import has a whimsical, Arctic Winnie-the-Pooh vibe to it, and viewers may figure out the cause of the noise long before the animals do. Howarth’s art beautifully captures the Arctic in textured watercolor, alluding to the snow’s powdery texture and the swooshing of the wind; the animals are cute and striking, with the watercolor patterns lending Magnus and Walrus interestingly spotted textures on their backs in contrast with their cartoonish grins. The last page includes factual tidbits about each of the featured animals.