All bites of food are not created equal. In this bold, oversized picture book, readers will see--at actual size--how much tasty giant squid a sperm whale can eat in one gulp (look at the tentacles in that fold-out!) and how much dirt a worm can eat at once, too, which is not very much at all. Nine other animals and their eating habits are illustrated, from a bear licking a pawful of honey to a Komodo dragon crunching a snake, cloudy-white drool dripping from its powerful jaws. The terrific, artfully composed brush, crayon and computer-aided artwork is lavish, the perspectives dramatically up-close. The text is lively, minimal and perfect for reading aloud to preschoolers: “With just one sip, a butterfly can eat… [three golden droplets shown]… this much nectar.” Close observers will be rewarded: The rabbit’s clover patch yields a four-leafer, and the leaf-patterned endpapers reveal a guilty-looking caterpillar and a few telltale bites. And for dessert? Eleven vivaciously crafted paragraphs about each animal make the whole smorgasbord quite satisfying indeed. (Informational picture book. 3-8)
