Swish & Squeak's Noisy Day, written and illustrated by Birgitta Sif. Alfred A. Knopf, Random House. 2017. $22.99 ages 4 and up

"Swish hears the swoosh
of her toothbrush ...

nibble
nibble

and a tiny nibble as she
packs their lunches.

Mwuaahhh
mwuah Mwuaahhh ... "

Swish is a listener, her sister Squeak is a noisemaker. Swish is the older, responsible sister who does what she can to make the day pass without difficulty for both. Birgitta Sif knows a great deal about sisters, as she has two young daughters to whom she dedicates this new book:

"To my little mice,
Soley and Salka,
quiet and loud but,
most importantly,
always together as sisters."

I cannot wait to share this with my granddaughters who are 3 and nearing 2. They, too, are noisy and quiet, and it warms my heart to see their love for each other - most of the time at this point.

Swish is sometimes annoyed with the noises that emanate from her little sister. She also hears the sounds she herself makes as the two get ready for school, and on their way there. There are so many sounds as the day progresses ... the bell, the growling stomachs, the school band's attempt to play in tune. There is a LOT to hear. When she can't see her sister as school lets out and there are children all around, she is overjoyed  to hear Squeak's voice calling our her location. Their trip home offers a quiet visit to the library, and new books to share at bedtime.

Listeners will love to hear the many sounds of  the day, and readers will have to practice to ensure their success during the telling. The sweet scenes are filled with energy and sound, and done in soft colors to emphasize the feelings between siblings.

It has a found a place on my 'keepers' shelf, ready to be shared when Sicily and Chelsea visit again.