ANIMALS WITH POUCHES--THE MARSUPIALS

by Geraldine Sherman ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 15, 1979

Sherman's album of marsupials devotes a short, illustrated paragraph to each of 17 species, in no particular order. Number 13 in line, the American Opossum, is described as the only one found in the United States--otherwise locality isn't mentioned until the end when Sherman says that most marsupials are found in or near Australia but some live in South America. Her unsystematic descriptions aren't always clear: regarding the boodle (or rat kangaroo), she mentions an embryo held in reserve (in case of accident to the joey) until the joey ""leaves the pouch."" If the joey lives, the embryo ""will leave its mother's body""--the same way? Her evasive description of how the mother introduces her young to eucalyptus trees is similarly unclear. The pouches of several species are described but not pictured (what is an ""upside-down"" pouch?) and time and again, where the text suggests illustration--of a newborn kangaroo's climb to the pouch, of a tuan's acrobatic behavior--Bjorklund ignores it for a conventional portrait.

Pub Date: Oct. 15, 1979

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Holiday House

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1979

Categories: NONFICTION