Beautifully illustrated and carefully explained, this is an attractive, helpful addition to the science shelf.
Wonder at the changes in the moon’s appearance over the course of a month.
In this welcome title, a Korean astronomer who also writes for young readers offers a comprehensive explanation of the changing phases of the moon. In clear, relatively simple words, he begins by describing the moon’s light as a reflection from the sun. He goes on to show that the moon’s waxing, waning, and apparent disappearance depend on how much of the sunlit side of the moon can be seen from Earth. In smaller print below the main text, the author offers more detailed information about when the moon rises and sets for each phase, accompanied by illustrations. Jung then invites readers to experiment with a flashlight and a ball to see how this works. He shows how the gravity of the sun and moon affect Earth’s tides and briefly touches on lunar calendars. The text, translated from Korean by Morris, is smooth, but at one point the waxing crescent moon “rises in the early evening”—technically an incorrect statement, as moonrise refers to when the moon rises over the horizon, not when it becomes visible in the sky. The smaller print correctly states that the moon follows the sun to rise in the early morning but, hard to see in the sunlight, becomes visible only after dark. Lovely sepia night scenes, instructive thumbnail images of each phase of the moon at different times of the day and night, and helpful diagrams add to the package. An Asian-presenting adult and child can be seen throughout observing the moon.
Beautifully illustrated and carefully explained, this is an attractive, helpful addition to the science shelf. (information on the moon, photos, Korean proverb) (Informational picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-73760-325-2
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Blue Dot Kids Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 28, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2022
Erupt into applause for this picture book of the first magma-tude.
A deceptively simple, visually appealing, comprehensive explanation of volcanoes.
Gibbons packs an impressive number of facts into this browsable nonfiction picture book. The text begins with the awe of a volcanic eruption: “The ground begins to rumble…ash, hot lava and rock, and gases shoot up into the air.” Diagrams of the Earth’s structural layers—inner and outer core, mantle, and crust—undergird a discussion about why volcanoes occur. Simple maps of the Earth’s seven major tectonic plates show where volcanoes are likeliest to develop. Other spreads with bright, clearly labeled illustrations cover intriguing subtopics: four types of volcanoes and how they erupt; underwater volcanoes; well-known volcanoes and historic volcanic eruptions around the world; how to be safe in the vicinity of a volcano; and the work of scientists studying volcanoes and helping to predict eruptions. A page of eight facts about volcanoes wraps things up. The straightforward, concise prose will be easy for young readers to follow. As always, Gibbons manages to present a great deal of information in a compact form.
Erupt into applause for this picture book of the first magma-tude. (Nonfiction picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: Jan. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4569-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2021
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
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