A strong addition to the nonfiction shelf.
This nonfiction title explores the structure and workings of the eyes of various species.
From the 60-odd unblinking eyes of a bay scallop to the dragonfly’s enormous compound eyes that allow it to see in nearly all directions, readers will discover the diversity of the amazing organs called eyes. A bullfrog, a cheetah, a gecko, an owl, a squid—every species has particular vision needs that are met in specific ways. Each spread is dedicated to one animal, with a close-up painted illustration of the animal’s eye, two verses about the species in general and how its eyesight helps it function, and two or more additional facts about their eyes, abilities, and habits in smaller print overlaid on callout boxes shaped like small silhouettes of the animal. The verse is rhythmic and poetic, sometimes rhyming or near rhyming, often captivating with detailed description of an animal in action so readers can almost see the scene. The paintings are impressively detailed and beautiful to look at, with vivid color wash and careful lines, blending art and science to great effect. Children who love animals and nature facts will adore this volume. Sources, a glossary, and a description and graphic on the workings of the human eye serve as scaffolds for additional learning.
A strong addition to the nonfiction shelf. (Informational picture book. 5-10)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-8075-0667-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
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
A gleeful game for budding naturalists.
Artfully cropped animal portraits challenge viewers to guess which end they’re seeing.
In what will be a crowd-pleasing and inevitably raucous guessing game, a series of close-up stock photos invite children to call out one of the titular alternatives. A page turn reveals answers and basic facts about each creature backed up by more of the latter in a closing map and table. Some of the posers, like the tail of an okapi or the nose on a proboscis monkey, are easy enough to guess—but the moist nose on a star-nosed mole really does look like an anus, and the false “eyes” on the hind ends of a Cuyaba dwarf frog and a Promethea moth caterpillar will fool many. Better yet, Lavelle saves a kicker for the finale with a glimpse of a small parasitical pearlfish peeking out of a sea cucumber’s rear so that the answer is actually face and butt. “Animal identification can be tricky!” she concludes, noting that many of the features here function as defenses against attack: “In the animal world, sometimes your butt will save your face and your face just might save your butt!” (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A gleeful game for budding naturalists. (author’s note) (Informational picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: July 11, 2023
ISBN: 9781728271170
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks eXplore
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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