BE OUR GUEST! is a colorful book of photographs. The book takes us to a hotel, where a monkey named Maurice is there to greet us and show us around. We meet the owner, a lion, visit the lobby and get a key from a wallaby, before visiting our room, the pool with penguins, and then going to a party with plenty of sweets.

What I loved: What really shines here is the photographs featuring real animals. There are a large variety of them too, including a camel, penguins, flamingos, and a pig. I appreciate the message on the back that says that the animals are treated humanely, and for the most part, they seem to be behaving just like animals. The photos also feature lots of bright colors and beautiful hotel scenes. A particular favorite with my toddler is of the monkey eating the remote.

What left me wanting more: The text is mostly descriptive of the scenes and does not seem to flow well as a result. The puns on the animals/their actions are clever at times though.

Final verdict: A great board book for toddlers who love animals, BE OUR GUEST! is a lovely photographic journey with great diversity of animals and plenty of bright colors.