by Cathryn Sill ; illustrated by John Sill ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 8, 2021
This solid addition to an established series covers an often overlooked habitat.
The 10th in the Sills’ About Habitats series tackles the tundra biome, which covers about one-fifth of the Earth’s land.
“Cold, dry areas with no trees,” tundras are largely found in polar regions and near the summits of very tall mountains. The text addresses some of the adaptations plants and animals require to live in the tundra (low-growing, clumped plant species, animals with warm feathers or thick fur, for example). In summer, when the tundra snow melts, animals can raise their young and find plenty to eat. Two final pages address threats: “Tundras are in danger because of pollution, rising temperatures, and harm to the land caused by too much building. // Tundras are important places that need to be protected.” As in the previous entries, Cathryn Sill provides simple, straightforward text in a large font on left-hand pages, while John Sill provides watercolor artwork on right-hand pages. Strengths continue to be the marvelously detailed, lifelike pictures and the careful identification of each subtype of habitat (here, Arctic, Antarctic, and alpine) and its plants and animals. The series’ largest weakness, though, is that further vital information about each illustration plate is buried in the aftermatter, forcing interested readers, whether curious lapsitters or older readers looking for information, to flip back and forth.
This solid addition to an established series covers an often overlooked habitat. (glossary, bibliography) (Informational picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Nov. 8, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-68263-233-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2021
Share your opinion of this book
More by Cathryn Sill
BOOK REVIEW
by Cathryn Sill ; illustrated by John Sill
BOOK REVIEW
by Cathryn Sill ; illustrated by John Sill
BOOK REVIEW
by Cathryn Sill ; illustrated by John Sill
by Laura Purdie Salas ; illustrated by Claudine Gévry ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 3, 2019
A good choice for a late fall storytime.
Animal behaviors change as they prepare to face the winter.
Migrate, hibernate, or tolerate. With smooth rhymes and jaunty illustrations, Salas and Gévry introduce three strategies animals use for coping with winter cold. The author’s long experience in imparting information to young readers is evident in her selection of familiar animals and in her presentation. Spread by spread she introduces her examples, preparing in fall and surviving in winter. She describes two types of migration: Hummingbirds and monarchs fly, and blue whales travel to the warmth of the south; earthworms burrow deeper into the earth. Without using technical words, she introduces four forms of hibernation—chipmunks nap and snack; bears mainly sleep; Northern wood frogs become an “icy pop,” frozen until spring; and normally solitary garter snakes snuggle together in huge masses. Those who can tolerate the winter still change behavior. Mice store food and travel in tunnels under the snow; moose grow a warmer kind of fur; the red fox dives into the snow to catch small mammals (like those mice); and humans put on warm clothes and play. The animals in the soft pastel illustrations are recognizable, more cuddly than realistic, and quite appealing; their habitats are stylized. The humans represent varied ethnicities. Each page includes two levels of text, and there’s further information in the extensive backmatter. Pair with Joyce Sidman and Rick Allen’s Winter Bees (2014).
A good choice for a late fall storytime. (glossary) (Informational picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5415-2900-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Millbrook/Lerner
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
Share your opinion of this book
More by Laura Purdie Salas
BOOK REVIEW
by Laura Purdie Salas ; illustrated by Monique Felix
BOOK REVIEW
by Laura Purdie Salas ; illustrated by Alexandria Neonakis
BOOK REVIEW
by Laura Purdie Salas ; illustrated by Elly MacKay
by Shelley Rotner ; photographed by Shelley Rotner ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 5, 2017
Bruce Goldstone’s Awesome Autumn (2012) is still the gold standard.
Rotner follows Hello Spring (2017) with this salute to the fall season.
Name a change seen in northern climes in fall, and Rotner likely covers it here, from plants, trees, and animals to the food we harvest: seeds are spread, the days grow shorter and cooler, the leaves change and fall (and are raked up and jumped in), some animals migrate, and many families celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving. As in the previous book, the photographs (presented in a variety of sizes and layouts, all clean) are the stars here, displaying both the myriad changes of the season and a multicultural array of children enjoying the outdoors in fall. These are set against white backgrounds that make the reddish-orange print pop. The text itself uses short sentences and some solid vocabulary (though “deep sleep” is used instead of “hibernate”) to teach readers the markers of autumn, though in the quest for simplicity, Rotner sacrifices some truth. In several cases, the addition of just a few words would have made the following oversimplified statements reflect reality: “Birds grow more feathers”; “Cranberries float and turn red.” Also, Rotner includes the statement “Bees store extra honey in their hives” on a page about animals going into deep sleep, implying that honeybees hibernate, which is false.
Bruce Goldstone’s Awesome Autumn (2012) is still the gold standard. (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3869-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: June 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
Share your opinion of this book
More by Gwen Agna
BOOK REVIEW
by Gwen Agna & Shelley Rotner ; photographed by Shelley Rotner
BOOK REVIEW
by Shelley Rotner ; illustrated by Shelley Rotner
BOOK REVIEW
by Gwen Agna & Shelley Rotner ; photographed by Shelley Rotner
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.