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THE SHELL BOOK

Lember (A Book of Fruit, 1994) presents portraits of 14 sea shells—common to rare—with brief accompanying text in this subtle celebration of art in nature. The shells have names that recall prize roses: Chestnut Cowrie, Giant Keyhole Limpet, Lettered Olive, Katharine's Chiton, Lion's Paw, etc. For each, Lember has hand-tinted a black-and- white photograph of a single empty shell against a textured background, e.g., the open blue mussel shell nestles in the curve of a piece of driftwood, with the pattern of the wood repeated in the dark exterior of the shell. Borders of buff, ecru, slate, sea foam, or peach frame the photographs and text and complement the colors of the shells. Some of the odd facts intrigue, e.g., that the yellow secretions of one creature became the rich purple dye for the robes of Roman senators. The text assumes some prior knowledge of sea creatures who once inhabited the now-empty shells; Lember notes without explanation that conchs are mollusks propelling themselves with their strong foot, that the mussel uses its byssal thread to attach itself to surfaces, and that Volutes are gastropods that can crawl rapidly. The text names the family each shell belongs to, and gives an approximate size. A book to inspire further research and wonder—where are the creatures who once lived here? (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-11)

Pub Date: March 1, 1997

ISBN: 0-395-72030-3

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1997

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THE WILD ROBOT

From the Wild Robot series , Vol. 1

Thought-provoking and charming.

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A sophisticated robot—with the capacity to use senses of sight, hearing, and smell—is washed to shore on an island, the only robot survivor of a cargo of 500.

When otters play with her protective packaging, the robot is accidently activated. Roz, though without emotions, is intelligent and versatile. She can observe and learn in service of both her survival and her principle function: to help. Brown links these basic functions to the kind of evolution Roz undergoes as she figures out how to stay dry and intact in her wild environment—not easy, with pine cones and poop dropping from above, stormy weather, and a family of cranky bears. She learns to understand and eventually speak the language of the wild creatures (each species with its different “accent”). An accident leaves her the sole protector of a baby goose, and Roz must ask other creatures for help to shelter and feed the gosling. Roz’s growing connection with her environment is sweetly funny, reminiscent of Randall Jarrell’s The Animal Family. At every moment Roz’s actions seem plausible and logical yet surprisingly full of something like feeling. Robot hunters with guns figure into the climax of the story as the outside world intrudes. While the end to Roz’s benign and wild life is startling and violent, Brown leaves Roz and her companions—and readers—with hope.

Thought-provoking and charming. (Science fiction/fantasy. 7-11)

Pub Date: April 5, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-316-38199-4

Page Count: 288

Publisher: Little, Brown

Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2016

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1001 BEES

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

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