A bland also-ran trailing a large litter of like-themed pups.
A photo album of young wolves running, playing, and growing through their first year.
Light on factual details, the uncredited text largely runs to vague observations along the lines of the fact that “young wolves need to rest every now and then” or that packs “differ in size. Some are large and have many wolves, while others are small with only a few.” The chief draws here are the big, color, stock photos, which show pups of diverse ages and species, singly or in groups—running, posing alertly with parents or other adult wolves, eating (regurgitated food only, and that not visible), howling, patrolling, and snoozing as a seasonal round turns green meadows to snowy landscapes. In a notably perfunctory insertion squeezed onto the final spread, a wildlife biologist from the American Museum of Natural History introduces himself and describes his research work—all with animals other than wolves. Budding naturalists should have no trouble running down more nourishing fare, from Seymour Simon’s Wolves (1993) to Jonathan London’s Seasons of Little Wolf (illustrated by Jon Van Zyle, 2014) and on. Baby Dolphin’s First Swim follows the same formula even down to profiling exactly the same wildlife biologist.
A bland also-ran trailing a large litter of like-themed pups. (Informational picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: June 6, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4549-2237-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: April 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
An ideal lead-in to more specific guides to aquarium setup and fish care.
A first introduction to our planet’s finny residents, particularly the decidedly uncommon goldfish.
Preceded by an entire piscatorial ABC that extends over six pages, two children of color lecture an audience of house pets (and readers) about such typical fishy features as scales and gills—properly noting that some fish, like certain eels, have no scales and some, like hagfish, no bony spines. The two then zero in on goldfish, explaining that they are easier to keep at home than tropical fish, originated long ago in China, can recognize the faces of people who bring them food, and with proper care live 25 years. All of this information is presented in a mix of dialogue balloons and single lines of commentary in block letters, accompanying cleanly drawn cartoon illustrations that alternate between a domestic setting and labeled portraits of various fish rendered in fine, exact detail. With easily digestible doses of biological and historical background, common-sense cautionary notes, and a buoyant tone, this is an appealing dive for newly independent readers out to enhance the household menagerie.
An ideal lead-in to more specific guides to aquarium setup and fish care. (Informational picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: April 4, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943145-15-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: TOON Books & Graphics
Review Posted Online: Feb. 13, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2017
For die-hard polar bear fans.
A year in the life of the majestic denizen of the far north.
Originally published in 1996 as The Great Crystal Bear, with illustrations by William Noonan, this edition features all-new artwork from the author. Speaking in poetic second person, the author conveys accurate scientific information, such as the fact that “each hollow hair” of the bear’s fur “gathers sunlight / to heat your black skin and thick layer of fat.” Readers also learn that polar bears’ keen senses of smell attune them not only to nearby neighbors, but also to their favorite food—seals. Only seal skin and blubber are consumed; carcasses are left behind for other Arctic foragers who benefit from polar bears’ hunting skills and cunning. (The seal attacks are described vividly but depicted bloodlessly.) So goes the year. When the ice melts as spring and summer beckon, polar bear groups jockey for dominance and mates, and food becomes scarce. With the arrival of fall and winter again, expanding ice abets hunting. The target audience may tire of the lengthy, ponderous narrative, in which solid information is sometimes obscured. The highlight here is the striking collage artwork, comprised of gouache hand-painted cut papers. The illustrations impart a palpable sense of the bear, its habitat as it changes seasonally, and other wildlife.
For die-hard polar bear fans. (author’s notes, map) (Informational picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: June 15, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-63322-502-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Seagrass/Quarto
Review Posted Online: April 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2018
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