Well worth the purchase.
Who knew the life and times of the beaver could be so fascinating?
Poliquin and Frith have created a nonfiction page-turner in this fascinating guide to Castor canadensis (and, to some extent, their Eurasian counterparts, Castor fiber). The facts unfold via the story of a Canadian beaver named Elmer and his partner of six years, Irma. Elmer and Irma are introduced to readers as superheroes of the animal kingdom, with a series of superpowers that include “chainsaw teeth,” an “ever-toiling tail,” and “paws of power.” Although these examples may sound grandiose, Poliquin explains the importance of each in easily digestible chapters that inform and entertain. A gender-equalizing break in Chapter 6 reminds readers that while Elmer may be the star of the book, the same facts are all true for Irma as well. Quizzes throughout test readers’ abilities to retain information (and there’s a note in the third quiz reminding readers not to write in a library book). Frith’s illustrations are an homage to the commercial-art stylings of the late 1950s and early ’60s. The designs—a mixture of black ink, pencil, and wax crayon on paper (with digital color)—are amusing but a little too reminiscent of the last century, as every human character in the book is default white. It’s a sour taste in an otherwise deliciously sweet dessert. The backmatter provides a glossary and a bibliography but, alas, no pronunciation guide.
Well worth the purchase. (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Dec. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-94987-4
Page Count: 96
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
Contentwise, an arbitrary assortment…but sure to draw fans of comics, of science, or of both.
Flash, Batman, and other characters from the DC Comics universe tackle supervillains and STEM-related topics and sometimes, both.
Credited to 20 writers and illustrators in various combinations, the 10 episodes invite readers to tag along as Mera and Aquaman visit oceanic zones from epipelagic to hadalpelagic; Supergirl helps a young scholar pick a science-project topic by taking her on a tour of the solar system; and Swamp Thing lends Poison Ivy a hand to describe how DNA works (later joining Swamp Kid to scuttle a climate-altering scheme by Arcane). In other episodes, various costumed creations explain the ins and outs of diverse large- and small-scale phenomena, including electricity, atomic structure, forensic techniques, 3-D printing, and the lactate threshold. Presumably on the supposition that the characters will be more familiar to readers than the science, the minilectures tend to start from simple basics, but the figures are mostly both redrawn to look more childlike than in the comics and identified only in passing. Drawing styles and page designs differ from chapter to chapter but not enough to interrupt overall visual unity and flow—and the cast is sufficiently diverse to include roles for superheroes (and villains) of color like Cyborg, Kid Flash, and the Latina Green Lantern, Jessica Cruz. Appended lists of websites and science-based YouTube channels, plus instructions for homespun activities related to each episode, point inspired STEM-winders toward further discoveries.
Contentwise, an arbitrary assortment…but sure to draw fans of comics, of science, or of both. (Graphic nonfiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77950-382-4
Page Count: 160
Publisher: DC
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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