From a publisher devoted to connecting children and nature, a worthwhile exploration of a fascinating aerial habitat.
Fredericks presents 10 species that dwell in Northern California’s towering redwood forests.
A northern spotted owl welcomes readers in an introductory “Dear Humans” note, explaining that by climbing the redwoods, scientists have discovered the rich complexity of animal life high in the canopy. From one “single soaring Eagle” to “ten spotted Ladybugs,” the species are depicted in their environments. “Six chattering Chipmunks” cavort upon a humus mat made of decomposing needles and other debris, while “seven busy Bumblebees” visit a huckleberry bush growing high above. The rhyming verses aren’t artful, but they successfully introduce Wallace’s detailed natural settings and the one-to-10 counting scheme. Each fourth line reads “And now comes number…”—providing predictability that a wide age range will find engaging. Wallace’s compositions depict the animals in varying niches in the huge tree. Three salamanders hunt insects in the shaggy bark, while eight bats roost in a dark hollow. A final spread requires a quarter-turn of the book in order to marvel at the height and breadth of a redwood grove, where the white family from the cover appears, antlike, silhouetted below. The excellent aftermatter includes a section with facts and 10 additional animals to find. Pages for parents and teachers provide STEAM activities, websites, and more.
From a publisher devoted to connecting children and nature, a worthwhile exploration of a fascinating aerial habitat. (Informational picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-58469-602-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dawn Publications
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Wow.
The stories of the births of the universe, the planet Earth, and a human child are told in this picture book.
Bauer begins with cosmic nothing: “In the dark / in the deep, deep dark / a speck floated / invisible as thought / weighty as God.” Her powerful words build the story of the creation of the universe, presenting the science in poetic free verse. First, the narrative tells of the creation of stars by the Big Bang, then the explosions of some of those stars, from which dust becomes the matter that coalesces into planets, then the creation of life on Earth: a “lucky planet…neither too far / nor too near…its yellow star…the Sun.” Holmes’ digitally assembled hand-marbled paper-collage illustrations perfectly pair with the text—in fact the words and illustrations become an inseparable whole, as together they both delineate and suggest—the former telling the story and the latter, with their swirling colors suggestive of vast cosmos, contributing the atmosphere. It’s a stunning achievement to present to readers the factual events that created the birth of the universe, the planet Earth, and life on Earth with such an expressive, powerful creativity of words paired with illustrations so evocative of the awe and magic of the cosmos. But then the story goes one brilliant step further and gives the birth of a child the same beginning, the same sense of magic, the same miracle.
Wow. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7883-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: July 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2018
Sure to have readers booking their own trips to catch the next brief but memorable solar eclipse.
A total solar eclipse brings a father and son closer together.
After learning in school about the eclipse’s impending arrival, a curious young boy excitedly figures out the best time and place to see it. His father agrees to transport him to the woods to view the eclipse, and the child describes everything that happens at various points—two months before the eclipse, then a month, a week, a day, an hour, a minute, and the exciting second before the sun slips behind the moon. Time seems to stand still, and the creatures in the woods are baffled by what appears to be an early nightfall. Then the countdown begins again, with the boy describing what happens after the eclipse—one second, one minute, one hour, one day, one year, and even longer. The moment has become a shared memory that enhances the bond between father and son and inspires future eclipse-chasing expeditions. Based on the author’s actual experience with his own son in 2017, this picture book features lively, child-friendly digital artwork filled with scenes of nature, matter-of-fact text that acknowledges the awesomeness of this rare phenomenon, and useful maps that chart the solar eclipse of 2017 and projected paths for future eclipses. Father and son are light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Sure to have readers booking their own trips to catch the next brief but memorable solar eclipse. (more information on eclipses) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781338608823
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
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