A sprightly, attractive compendium of the world of sheep.
A broad overview of everything sheep.
The third in a series, following Pigology (2021) and Chickenology (2021), this well-illustrated, colorful Italian import covers everything from sheep’s relatives and ancestors to the practice of transhumance (the process of bringing domestic sheep to summer pastures). This general introduction contains enlightening—and sometimes fascinating—facts about sheep, both present day and throughout the ages. Sometimes the information is quite detailed, for example, a look at sheep anatomy and the process of begetting and birthing a lamb; sometimes it’s more basic, as in the brief examinations of legends involving sheep or wool and a look at the business of wool throughout history. Overall, this wide-ranging narrative gives readers a multitude of avenues to explore the more-exciting-than-you-may-think world of sheep—such as the sections on cheese making (using sheep’s milk), setting up a small sheep farm, “wool under the microscope,” and knitting, weaving, and felting. The book takes a global approach, discussing the annual migration that sheep and shepherds traditionally make or have made in Europe and Asia, for instance. The book concludes with descriptions of several different sheep breeds that may intrigue readers. Bright visuals with a collagelike feel are accurate though infused with humor—we’re told that North Ronaldsay sheep “prefer the beach,” and the accompanying image shows one by the seaside wearing sunglasses under an umbrella. People depicted are diverse.
A sprightly, attractive compendium of the world of sheep. (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 9781797222431
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
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
Pretty but insubstantial.
Zommer surveys various bird species from around the world in this oversized (almost 14 inches tall tall) volume.
While exuberantly presented, the information is not uniformly expressed from bird to bird, which in the best cases will lead readers to seek out additional information and in the worst cases will lead to frustration. For example, on spreads that feature multiple species, the birds are not labeled. This happens again later when the author presents facts about eggs: Readers learn about camouflaged eggs, but the specific eggs are not identified, making further study extremely difficult. Other facts are misleading: A spread on “city birds” informs readers that “peregrine falcons nest on skyscrapers in New York City”—but they also nest in other large cities. In a sexist note, a peahen is identified as “unlucky” because she “has drab brown feathers” instead of flashy ones like the peacock’s. Illustrations are colorful and mostly identifiable but stylized; Zommer depicts his birds with both eyes visible at all times, even when the bird is in profile. The primary audience for the book appears to be British, as some spreads focus on European birds over their North American counterparts, such as the mute swan versus the trumpeter swan and the European robin versus the American robin. The backmatter, a seven-word glossary and an index, doesn’t provide readers with much support.
Pretty but insubstantial. (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: June 4, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-500-65151-3
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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