Grade-schoolers interested in science and nature—but not too old for talking animals—will find a lot to interest them here.
A tortoise tourist and his desert-rodent buddy make their way to the Grand Canyon to exchange recipes in this travel adventure by debut author Ahern and veteran illustrator Brooks (Dog Diaries: Secret Writings of the WOOF Society, 2016, etc.).
Tino the tortoise and Rudi the jerboa, who live in the Mojave Desert, decide to travel to Arizona’s Kaibab National Forest to present a new recipe for pine seeds to Penny, a Kaibab squirrel who’s bored of eating her favorite meal the same old ways. Tino is apparently a savvy traveler; when Rudi says that they should go on a trip, Tino immediately makes plans and starts booking tourist excursions. After a train ride to what a helpful owl calls a “big hole in the ground,” the friends take a mule ride, do some whitewater rafting, and finally make it to the north rim of the canyon and the ponderosa pine trees where the Kaibab squirrels make their home. During their journey, the friends ask directions at every stop, which allows readers to learn more about the squirrels and their habitat but also contrasts with Tino’s pre-made travel plans. Brooks’ humanoid animals experience the Grand Canyon in the same ways that a young human visitor might. The casting is clever: a park ranger is a raccoon (reminiscent of Ranger Rick); a cougar rents out unflappable (nonhumanoid) mules; and a ranch-owning rabbit warns the travelers against getting in the way of big-horn sheep or sitting on rattlesnakes. Brooks depicts the humanlike animals differently enough that it doesn’t feel strange for other, more traditional animals to act like their real-world counterparts. The descriptions of the travelers’ adventures are appealing, and kids are sure to want to experience them in person. Details about animal habitats and traits, particularly those of the rare Kaibab squirrel, may also help spark an interest in nature. Some pages are dense with text, which may intimidate some younger readers, but the pictures are dominant enough to hold lap-readers’ interest.
Grade-schoolers interested in science and nature—but not too old for talking animals—will find a lot to interest them here.Pub Date: June 9, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-941821-45-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: WestWinds Press
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A solid series starter for tinkerers and adventurers alike.
Even robot cats have a mind of their own.
All 12-year-old Canadian Lacey Chu’s ever wanted was to become a companioneer like her idol, Monica Chan, co-founder of the largest tech firm in North America, Moncha Corp., and mastermind behind the baku. Bakus, “robotic pets with all the features of a smartphone,” revolutionized society and how people interact with technology. As a companioneer, Lacey could work on bakus: designing, innovating, and building. When she receives a grant rejection from Profectus Academy of Science and Technology, a school that guarantees employment at Moncha Corp., she’s devastated. A happenstance salvaging of a mangled cat baku might just change the game. Suddenly, Lacey’s got an in with Profectus and is one step closer to her dream. Jinx, however, is not quite like the other bakus—he’s a wild cat that does things without commands. Together with Jinx, Lacey will have to navigate competitive classmates and unsettling corporate secrets. McCulloch effectively strikes a balance between worldbuilding and action. High-stakes baku battles demonstrate the emotional bond between (robotic) pet and owner. Readers will also connect to the relationships the Asian girl forges with her diverse classmates, including a rivalry with Carter (a white boy who’s the son of Moncha’s other co-founder, Eric Smith), a burgeoning crush on student Tobias, who’s black, and evolving friendships new and old. While some mysteries are solved, a cliffhanger ending raises even more for the next installment.
A solid series starter for tinkerers and adventurers alike. (Science fiction. 8-13)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4926-8374-2
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Review Posted Online: Aug. 25, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
A useful, sturdy conversation starter between caregivers and children.
Sweet pastel colors and cheery images across five double-page spreads introduce various animal habitats to young children.
A “sheep and her lamb live on the farm”; a “whale and her calf live in the ocean.” The other animal mother-and-child pairs are a penguin and chick, dog and puppy, and kangaroo and joey. Unfortunately, the Antarctic birds are pictured next to an igloo, but otherwise both the specialized name for animal young and habitat are introduced neatly. Companion title Noisy World introduces noises. Three of the sounds are from animals (lions, a crocodile and birds), while two are from machines (a car and a train). Here, the creators might have been more successful working this concept into two books—one about animal sounds and the other surveying transportation sounds. In either case, flaws will not matter to very young children, who will be attracted to the sunny pictures and jolly characters. There is nothing threatening about the roaring lions or snapping crocodile. Smart adults will use these books to ask questions: What color is the monkey? How many birds are cheeping? As with other titles in the Tiny Touch series, the back blurb touts the “bumpy textured pages that make it a tactile and interactive experience,” but the texture is so subtle, it is almost nonexistent.
A useful, sturdy conversation starter between caregivers and children. (Board book. 6 mos.-3)Pub Date: March 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0023-4
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2015
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