A solid introduction, though it’s not without its flaws.
The Sills add to their About Habitats series with this look at the forests of the world.
Using the same format as the others in the series, Cathryn Sill writes a sentence or two in a large font on left-hand pages, while her husband, John Sill, uses realistic watercolors to illustrate the information presented. “Many animals find food and shelter in forests,” for example, is placed opposite a deciduous forest scene of a black bear, broad-winged hawk, brown creeper, question mark butterfly, red-spotted salamander and box turtle; though none appears to be eating or in any shelter, save the salamander, who is peeking from underneath a leaf, some are camouflaged, which is what the paragraph about this particular illustration plate explains in the afterword. This is where readers will need to turn in order to learn more specific information—a miss for the series, as incorporating this within the text in a text box or smaller font would have broadened the age range of its potential audience. Another miss is the lack of a detailed map in the backmatter, which could have pinpointed some of the locations, going beyond the seven continents portrayed on the map at the front. Still, the Sills do a good job of showing (and especially identifying) both plants and animals.
A solid introduction, though it’s not without its flaws. (map, glossary, bibliography, list of websites) (Informational picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-56145-734-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
Instills a sense of well-being in youngsters while encouraging them to explore the natural world.
This reassuring picture book exemplifies how parents throughout the animal kingdom make homes for their offspring.
The narrative is written from the point of view of a parent talking to their child: “If you were a beaver, I would gnaw on trees with my teeth to build a cozy lodge for us to sleep in during the day.” Text appears in big, easy-to-read type, with the name of the creature in boldface. Additional facts about the animal appear in a smaller font, such as: “Beavers have transparent eyelids to help them see under water.” The gathering of land, air, and water animals includes a raven, a flying squirrel, and a sea lion. “Home” might be a nest, a den, or a burrow. One example, of a blue whale who has homes in the north and south (ocean is implied), will help children stretch the concept into feeling at home in the larger world. Illustrations of the habitats have an inviting luminosity. Mature and baby animals are realistically depicted, although facial features appear to have been somewhat softened, perhaps to appeal to young readers. The book ends with the comforting scene of a human parent and child silhouetted in the welcoming lights of the house they approach: “Wherever you may be, you will always have a home with me.”
Instills a sense of well-being in youngsters while encouraging them to explore the natural world. (Informational picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Nov. 12, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-63217-224-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little Bigfoot/Sasquatch
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
It’s gratifying to see Lola’s love of books leading her to new experiences.
Hoping to have a garden like the one in her poetry book, Lola plants seeds, waits and weeds, and finally celebrates with friends.
The author and illustrator of Lola Loves Stories (2010) and its companion titles take their appealing character outside. Inspired by her favorite poem, the nursery rhyme “Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary” (repeated on the front endpapers), Lola chooses her favorite flowers from library books. Helped by her parents, she grows a grandly diverse flower garden, just right for a celebration with peas and strawberries from the family plot. Beardshaw’s acrylic illustrations show her garden in all its stages. They also show the copper-toned preschooler reading on her mother’s lap, making a flower book, a beaded string with bells and shells, a little Mary Mary doll and cupcakes for the celebration. Her bunchy ponytails are redone, and her flower shirt is perfect for the party. Not only has she provided the setting; she makes up a story for her friends. The simple sentences of the text and charming pictures make this a good choice for reading aloud or early reading alone. On the rear endpapers, the nursery rhyme has been adapted to celebrate “Lola, Lola, Extraordinary.”
It’s gratifying to see Lola’s love of books leading her to new experiences. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 5, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-58089-694-8
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
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