An introduction that could be so much better.
The Sills add to their About… series with this look at birds that live near or on water.
The text introduces readers to waterfowl, including a look at where they live (ocean versus rivers, lakes, and ponds), some common features (webbed feet, waterproof feathers, bills), what and how they eat (plants, insects, fish, grains, etc.), their nests and babies, and the fact that some migrate. As with the other About… series entries, the strengths and weaknesses are the same. John Sill’s realistic watercolors, labeled with the animals’ common names, are a highlight. Cathryn Sill’s simple sentences make the topic approachable for even the youngest nature lover, though to get the most out of the book, children and/or their adult partners will have to flip back and forth between the book’s spreads and the afterword, which presents a thumbnail version of each watercolor plate and a paragraph of text, including information on the birds’ habitats (no map, though). Opposite a picture of several Toulouse geese in front of a stone cottage, the text reads “Waterfowl have been useful to people for thousands of years.” The artwork does not show how, which will leave readers unsatisfied until they read in the back about eggs and meat, down, and eating harmful pests. Similarly, a page with text reading “It is important to protect waterfowl and the places where they live” lacks information on the same page to truly grab readers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An introduction that could be so much better. (glossary, bibliography, resources) (Nonfiction. 3-8)Pub Date: Oct. 11, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-68263-234-5
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
A ribald and uproarious warning to those unschooled in fishy goings-on.
Sharpson offers so-fish-ticated readers a heads up about the true terror of the seas.
The title says it all. Our unseen narrator is just fine with other animals: mammals. Reptiles. Even birds. But fish? Don’t trust them! First off, the rules always seem to change with fish. Some live in fresh water; some reside in salt water. Some have gills, while others have lungs. You can never see what they’re up to, since they hang out underwater, and they’re always eating those poor, innocent crabs. Soon, the narrator introduces readers to Jeff, a vacant-eyed yellow fish—but don’t be fooled! Jeff’s “the craftiest fish of all.” All fish are, apparently, hellbent on world domination, the narrator warns. “DON’T TRUST FISH!” Finally, at the tail end, we get a sly glimpse of our unreliable narrator. Readers needn’t be ichthyologists to appreciate Sharpson’s meticulous comic timing. (“Ships always sink at sea. They never sink on land. Isn’t that strange?”) His delightful text, filled to the brim with jokes that read aloud brilliantly, pairs perfectly with Santat’s art, which shifts between extreme realism and goofy hilarity. He also fills the book with his own clever gags (such as an image of Gilligan’s Island’s S.S. Minnow going down and a bottle of sauce labeled “Surly Chik’n Srir’racha’r”).
A ribald and uproarious warning to those unschooled in fishy goings-on. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 8, 2025
ISBN: 9780593616673
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
PERSPECTIVES
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again.
Cece loves asking “why” and “what if.”
Her parents encourage her, as does her science teacher, Ms. Curie (a wink to adult readers). When Cece and her best friend, Isaac, pair up for a science project, they choose zoology, brainstorming questions they might research. They decide to investigate whether dogs eat vegetables, using Cece’s schnauzer, Einstein, and the next day they head to Cece’s lab (inside her treehouse). Wearing white lab coats, the two observe their subject and then offer him different kinds of vegetables, alone and with toppings. Cece is discouraged when Einstein won’t eat them. She complains to her parents, “Maybe I’m not a real scientist after all….Our project was boring.” Just then, Einstein sniffs Cece’s dessert, leading her to try a new way to get Einstein to eat vegetables. Cece learns that “real scientists have fun finding answers too.” Harrison’s clean, bright illustrations add expression and personality to the story. Science report inserts are reminiscent of The Magic Schoolbus books, with less detail. Biracial Cece is a brown, freckled girl with curly hair; her father is white, and her mother has brown skin and long, black hair; Isaac and Ms. Curie both have pale skin and dark hair. While the book doesn’t pack a particularly strong emotional or educational punch, this endearing protagonist earns a place on the children’s STEM shelf.
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again. (glossary) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 19, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-249960-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
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