Reviewed by Kristine Zimmerman for Readers' Favorite

Moody Moody Cars by Eileen Kennedy-Moore is an absolute delight. Kids that love cars will enjoy the many different vehicles depicted. Pareidolia, which is our tendency to see faces in objects, is used to great effect in this rhyming story. Each spread includes a clever rhyme about a common emotion followed by a page that illustrates the emotion, using the headlights and grille of a car. A helpful visual glossary is included that identifies the make and model of each car. It also highlights the facial features in case kids have trouble identifying them. An afterword to parents explains the importance of helping children identify emotions through facial expressions.

As a former children's librarian, I have read thousands of picture books and Moody Moody Cars is an outstanding one! Eileen Kennedy-Moore has written a catchy book with fun rhymes that kids will love to chant along with like, "Hey, Moody Cars! How ya feeling today?" She has also incorporated a skill not often illustrated in kids' books by teaching how to identify emotions through facial expressions. The text contains multiple synonyms for the same emotion, which is a great vocabulary builder. The photographs by Michael Furman are perfect. Each car is unique and clearly pictures the emotion being described. The layout and colors are visually appealing and enhance the story. Kids will start looking for faces in all sorts of places. This is a story that both kids and adults will want to return to and I highly recommend it!