A solid addition to the chorus of appeals to preserve a rare and magnificent creature.
An introduction to these endangered big cats and current efforts to protect them from illegal traffickers and other hazards.
With an eye to the sorts of claims that will wow young readers—tigers can roar louder than a motorcycle, their urine smells like buttered popcorn, and they will eat termites if larger prey is elusive—Taylor-Butler opens with quick profiles of the predator’s six distinct living subspecies. She then segues to the human causes of their major population decline in the wild, including habitat loss fueled at least in part by the rising demand for palm oil and poaching, and highlights conservation efforts such as legislation and protective organizations. A close-up of a toothy mouth and an image of a circus tiger forced to jump through flaming hoops are impressively dramatic, but in general the black-and-white photos are too small and scant to make a strong impression. Still, along with basic background information, budding eco-warriors will find both the author’s suggestions for activities (which include cutting out foods that use palm oil and not patronizing roadside zoos along with the predictable fundraisers and letters to government officials) and the robust closing list of online reference sources helpful. An introduction from Clinton encourages readers that even small actions can make a difference.
A solid addition to the chorus of appeals to preserve a rare and magnificent creature. (Nonfiction. 7-10)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-40420-1
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere.
This book is buzzing with trivia.
Follow a swarm of bees as they leave a beekeeper’s apiary in search of a new home. As the scout bees traverse the fields, readers are provided with a potpourri of facts and statements about bees. The information is scattered—much like the scout bees—and as a result, both the nominal plot and informational content are tissue-thin. There are some interesting facts throughout the book, but many pieces of trivia are too, well trivial, to prove useful. For example, as the bees travel, readers learn that “onion flowers are round and fluffy” and “fennel is a plant that is used in cooking.” Other facts are oversimplified and as a result are not accurate. For example, monofloral honey is defined as “made by bees who visit just one kind of flower” with no acknowledgment of the fact that bees may range widely, and swarm activity is described as a springtime event, when it can also occur in summer and early fall. The information in the book, such as species identification and measurement units, is directed toward British readers. The flat, thin-lined artwork does little to enhance the story, but an “I spy” game challenging readers to find a specific bee throughout is amusing.
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere. (Informational picture book. 8-10)Pub Date: May 18, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-500-65265-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An in-depth and visually pleasing look at one of the most fundamental forces in the universe.
An introduction to gravity.
The book opens with the most iconic demonstration of gravity, an apple falling. Throughout, Herz tackles both huge concepts—how gravity compresses atoms to form stars and how black holes pull all kinds of matter toward them—and more concrete ones: how gravity allows you to jump up and then come back down to the ground. Gravity narrates in spare yet lyrical verse, explaining how it creates planets and compresses atoms and comparing itself to a hug. “My embrace is tight enough that you don’t float like a balloon, but loose enough that you can run and leap and play.” Gravity personifies itself at times: “I am stubborn—the bigger things are, the harder I pull.” Beautiful illustrations depict swirling planets and black holes alongside racially diverse children playing, running, and jumping, all thanks to gravity. Thorough backmatter discusses how Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity and explains Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity. While at times Herz’s explanations may be a bit too technical for some readers, burgeoning scientists will be drawn in.
An in-depth and visually pleasing look at one of the most fundamental forces in the universe. (Informational picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: April 15, 2024
ISBN: 9781668936849
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tilbury House
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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