A delightful, memorable introduction to an unsung ecosystem.
From bacteria to beetles, countless organisms survive and thrive at the junction of soil and the decaying matter lying on its surface.
Bulion, who celebrated ocean critters in At the Seashore Cafe (2011), turns landward to look at those who inhabit the leaf-litter layer called duff. In 19 poems she introduces decomposers and aerators such as fungi, tardigrades, springtails, and even earthworms. Many of these creatures are microscopic or near-microscopic; most will be unfamiliar. But each poem is accompanied by a clear description of the creature and its ecosystem role. Set in a smaller font, this exposition will be challenging but helpful to her readers. The poems are expertly crafted in a variety of forms (identified in the backmatter). The language is lively and the imagery appropriate. With alliteration, internal rhymes, and careful rhythm, these will be a delight to read aloud and learn. The culminating “A Few Favorite Brown Food Web Kings,” if sung to the tune of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “My Favorite Things,” is both irresistible and a solid learning aid, grouping these once-unfamiliar creatures by their jobs in the leaf litter. Meganck’s engaging digital drawings give each creature pop-eyes and attitude. He concludes with a comparison image showing their sizes relative to a straight pin. The backmatter also includes instructions for litter-critter investigations and further resources.
A delightful, memorable introduction to an unsung ecosystem. (Informational poetry. 7-12)Pub Date: March 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-56145-950-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
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
An in-depth and visually pleasing look at one of the most fundamental forces in the universe.
An introduction to gravity.
The book opens with the most iconic demonstration of gravity, an apple falling. Throughout, Herz tackles both huge concepts—how gravity compresses atoms to form stars and how black holes pull all kinds of matter toward them—and more concrete ones: how gravity allows you to jump up and then come back down to the ground. Gravity narrates in spare yet lyrical verse, explaining how it creates planets and compresses atoms and comparing itself to a hug. “My embrace is tight enough that you don’t float like a balloon, but loose enough that you can run and leap and play.” Gravity personifies itself at times: “I am stubborn—the bigger things are, the harder I pull.” Beautiful illustrations depict swirling planets and black holes alongside racially diverse children playing, running, and jumping, all thanks to gravity. Thorough backmatter discusses how Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity and explains Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity. While at times Herz’s explanations may be a bit too technical for some readers, burgeoning scientists will be drawn in.
An in-depth and visually pleasing look at one of the most fundamental forces in the universe. (Informational picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: April 15, 2024
ISBN: 9781668936849
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tilbury House
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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