HIDERS SEEKERS FINDERS KEEPERS

People take vacations to warmer climes, put on heavier clothing, and hunker down in warm buildings in the winter. How do animals survive the season?

In a play on the traditional childhood chant, “finders, keepers, losers, weepers,” Kulekjian divides animals into several groups according to how they tackle wintry weather. Hiders find places to hole up while it’s cold; hibernation, brumation, diapause, and torpor are all introduced. Seekers look for places that are better suited to them (migration): places where food is easier to find or where the weather is warmer. And the finders keep…warm with heavier coats, full with stashes of food, and close in order to stay warm together. Many animals in this last group have adaptations that help them survive winter conditions. The main text is printed right on the full-bleed spreads. Further information about the science or the species on the page is provided in round text bubbles; for example, bee colonies die out each autumn, the queen going into diapause, then laying eggs and starting new colonies each spring. Perera’s digital illustrations reflect the palettes of fall and winter, the realistic-looking scenes featuring many opportunities to spy animals in their natural habitats. A brown-skinned parent and child are seen periodically, their bond and their love of the outdoors both clear. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A solid look at animals in the winter and the ways they weather the weather.