Splendid.
An expert ornithologist lays out the hows, whats, and whys of bird behavior.
Sibley, the much-admired creator of a popular series of identification guides for birds, has adapted his adult title What It’s Like To Be a Bird (2020). But, in fact, his initial impetus for that book was his desire to write an introduction to birds for young readers—not a field guide but an album that would foster appreciation for the birds around us. And here it is. In organization and presentation, this adaptation is very like the source material; a concise overview of birds in general is followed by profiles of various species. Sibley covers a broad set of the most familiar birds in the continental United States and Canada. His illustrations are striking and meticulously accurate. The format—short, informative paragraphs that focus on a particular species but also answer broader questions about bird physiology and behavior—works both for browsers and those reading from cover to cover and is just as appealing as the original. The biggest change is a good one: The introduction to each species depicted now appears at the beginning of the entry, near a portrait of the bird, rather than as part of an index in the back. Some wording has been simplified and some details left out, but overall, this is an immensely entertaining and enlightening volume that will entice both adults and children.
Splendid. (Nonfiction. 8-15)Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-43018-7
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
A variety show brimming with esoteric and practical information.
Two youngsters embark on a journey peppered with history, trivia, and skits while teaching money lessons.
Meet Mellody and John, the young stars of this currency showcase. Their very first dialogue offers a taste of the intriguing information to come, from the ancient Mayans’ use of cacao beans as payment to the origins of the piggy bank. The book offers a chronologically and geographically broad timeline of the history of money, encompassing the past 3.9 billion years (starting with meteorite crashes that scattered metals—“the very first bank deposit”) and referencing practices across five continents. Readers will find themselves eagerly sharing the facts gleaned here, including the centuries-old origins of terms and expressions still used today. Mellody and John’s fun banter crucially reflects their experiences with money, such as their families’ differing attitudes toward allowances. Both are savers as well as givers, sharing stories about giving to charity. In one especially entertaining section, a cat and a bunny converse in money-related catchphrases that are separately defined at the bottom of each page. Stevens’ watercolors are appropriately realistic and appealing, whether depicting Mellody’s pretend bank or Elizabeth II’s butler ironing a 10-pound note. Messages about money’s use as a means to an end, rather than an end in itself, ensure that readers will think about their own purposes for their savings. Mellody and John are Black.
A variety show brimming with esoteric and practical information. (index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781536224719
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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
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