by Helen Frost ; illustrated by Rick Lieder ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 10, 2022
A reminder of the wonders we can see in nature if we slow down and pay attention.
An invitation to embody the attributes of a praying mantis: stillness, awareness, patience, calm, and focus.
Frost and Lieder continue their collaboration with a paean to the fascinating creature that is the Chinese praying mantis. The book invites readers to sharpen their observation skills in order to appreciate the marvels of the elusive little creature. Noting that praying mantises can be brown or green, the text urges children to emulate the insect’s composure and patience: “It can wait a long time, / staring straight / at you. / Can you wait a long / time too?” Budding entomologists must “be still and quiet” and “keep watching” if they want to witness a praying mantis hunting, eating, and even being born. Frost’s rhyming text scans fairly well and draws readers into the experience of standing in the presence of this awe-inspiring arthropod. Lieder uses macro photography techniques to capture detailed, close-up, stunning views of the insect as it perches on various flowers, snatches prey with its sharp spines, and hangs upside down on a leaf. Children will undoubtedly feel compelled to make up fun stories for these personality-filled creepy-crawlies. Of particular note is a crystal-clear photo of praying mantis nymphs emerging from their cocoon. A closing author’s note describes the life cycle of praying mantises.
A reminder of the wonders we can see in nature if we slow down and pay attention. (Informational picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: May 10, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1631-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2022
Share your opinion of this book
More by Helen Frost
BOOK REVIEW
by Helen Frost ; photographed by Rick Lieder
BOOK REVIEW
by Helen Frost
BOOK REVIEW
by Helen Frost ; illustrated by Rob Shepperson
by Neil Sharpson ; illustrated by Dan Santat ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 8, 2025
A ribald and uproarious warning to those unschooled in fishy goings-on.
Sharpson offers so-fish-ticated readers a heads up about the true terror of the seas.
The title says it all. Our unseen narrator is just fine with other animals: mammals. Reptiles. Even birds. But fish? Don’t trust them! First off, the rules always seem to change with fish. Some live in fresh water; some reside in salt water. Some have gills, while others have lungs. You can never see what they’re up to, since they hang out underwater, and they’re always eating those poor, innocent crabs. Soon, the narrator introduces readers to Jeff, a vacant-eyed yellow fish—but don’t be fooled! Jeff’s “the craftiest fish of all.” All fish are, apparently, hellbent on world domination, the narrator warns. “DON’T TRUST FISH!” Finally, at the tail end, we get a sly glimpse of our unreliable narrator. Readers needn’t be ichthyologists to appreciate Sharpson’s meticulous comic timing. (“Ships always sink at sea. They never sink on land. Isn’t that strange?”) His delightful text, filled to the brim with jokes that read aloud brilliantly, pairs perfectly with Santat’s art, which shifts between extreme realism and goofy hilarity. He also fills the book with his own clever gags (such as an image of Gilligan’s Island’s S.S. Minnow going down and a bottle of sauce labeled “Surly Chik’n Srir’racha’r”).
A ribald and uproarious warning to those unschooled in fishy goings-on. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 8, 2025
ISBN: 9780593616673
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
Share your opinion of this book
More by Dan Santat
BOOK REVIEW
by Lisa Yee ; illustrated by Dan Santat
BOOK REVIEW
by Mo Willems ; illustrated by Dan Santat
BOOK REVIEW
by Henry Winkler & Lin Oliver ; illustrated by Dan Santat
by Randi Sonenshine ; illustrated by Anne Hunter ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 27, 2022
A boon for beaver storytimes or young naturalists living near beaver streams.
Readers learn about a keystone species and the habitat they create.
In a “House That Jack Built” style (though minus the cumulative repetition), Sonenshine introduces children to beavers. Beginning with a beaver who’s just gnawed down a willow near their lodge, the author moves on to the dam that blocks the stream and protects their domed home and then to the yearlings that are working to repair it with sticks and mud. Muskrats and a musk turtle take advantage of the safety of the beavers’ lodge, while Coyote tries (and fails) to breach it. Then the book turns to other animals that enjoy the benefits of the pond the beavers have created: goose, ducklings, heron, moose. While the beavers aren’t in all these illustrations, evidence of them is. And then suddenly a flood takes out both the dam and the beavers’ lodge. So, the beavers move upstream to find a new spot to dam and build again, coming full circle back to the beginning of the book. Hunter’s ink-and–colored pencil illustrations have a scratchy style that is well suited to the beavers’ pelts, their watery surroundings, and the other animals that share their habitat. Careful observers will be well rewarded by the tiny details. Beavers are mostly nocturnal, which isn’t always faithfully depicted by Hunter. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A boon for beaver storytimes or young naturalists living near beaver streams. (beaver facts, glossary, further resources) (Informational picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1868-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
Share your opinion of this book
More by Randi Sonenshine
BOOK REVIEW
by Randi Sonenshine ; illustrated by Anne Hunter
BOOK REVIEW
by Randi Sonenshine ; illustrated by Gina Capaldi
BOOK REVIEW
by Randi Sonenshine ; illustrated by Anne Hunter
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.