by Constance Van Hoven ; illustrated by Alan Marks ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2020
A visually appealing, informative peek at some of nature’s rare treasures, with a strong ecological subtext.
This highly unusual field guide for kids focuses on the “blueness” as well as the ecological rarity of each featured species. Karner blue butterflies are “silvery blue”; mating male Quitobaquito pupfish turn “iridescent blue”; eastern indigo snakes have “midnight blue” scales; blue whales appear “turquoise blue” underwater; male cerulean warblers boast “electric blue” feathers; an occasional lobster trapped in North Atlantic coastal waters is “sapphire blue;” the coats of some Alaskan black bears look “pearly blue”; and the big bluestem prairie grass formerly covering much of central North America manifests as “steely blue.” In terms of rarity, the text mentions ecological factors causing Karner blue butterflies, Quitobaquito pupfish, eastern indigo snakes, blue whales, and big bluestem prairie grass to be officially listed as endangered while cerulean warblers are considered a “species of concern.” In contrast, blue lobsters and blue black bears are “naturally rare” rather than threatened. Delicate, realistic illustrations steal this show with splendid double-page paintings of the natural habitats and close-up portraits of each species discussed. Arresting perspectives add interest while use of a full-spectrum blue palette appropriately reinforces the blue theme, including endpapers featuring each subject washed in blue. Additional facts on each species, a glossary of terms, categories of species, and a selected bibliography flesh out the text for further study or discussion.
A visually appealing, informative peek at some of nature’s rare treasures, with a strong ecological subtext. (Informational picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-62354-097-5
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
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by Amy Cherrix ; illustrated by Chris Sasaki ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 7, 2021
An arguable error of omission and definite errors of commission sink this otherwise attractive effort.
A look at the unique ways that 11 globe-spanning animal species construct their homes.
Each creature garners two double-page spreads, which Cherrix enlivens with compelling and at-times jaw-dropping facts. The trapdoor spider constructs a hidden burrow door from spider silk. Sticky threads, fanning from the entrance, vibrate “like a silent doorbell” when walked upon by unwitting insect prey. Prairie dogs expertly dig communal burrows with designated chambers for “sleeping, eating, and pooping.” The largest recorded “town” occupied “25,000 miles and housed as many as 400 million prairie dogs!” Female ants are “industrious insects” who can remove more than a ton of dirt from their colony in a year. Cathedral termites use dirt and saliva to construct solar-cooled towers 30 feet high. Sasaki’s lively pictures borrow stylistically from the animal compendiums of mid-20th-century children’s lit; endpapers and display type elegantly suggest the blues of cyanotypes and architectural blueprints. Jarringly, the lead spread cheerfully extols the prowess of the corals of the Great Barrier Reef, “the world’s largest living structure,” while ignoring its accelerating, human-abetted destruction. Calamitously, the honeybee hive is incorrectly depicted as a paper-wasps’ nest, and the text falsely states that chewed beeswax “hardens into glue to shape the hive.” (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An arguable error of omission and definite errors of commission sink this otherwise attractive effort. (selected sources) (Informational picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-5625-9
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 5, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
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by Nick Seluk ; illustrated by Nick Seluk ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2019
A good overview of this complex, essential organ, with an energetic seasoning of silliness.
An introduction to the lead guitar and vocalist for the Brainiacs—the human brain.
The brain (familiar to readers of Seluk’s “The Awkward Yeti” webcomic, which spun off the adult title Heart and Brain, 2015) looks like a dodgeball with arms and legs—pinkish, sturdy, and roundish, with a pair of square-framed spectacles bestowing an air of importance and hipness. Other organs of the body—tongue, lungs, stomach, muscle, and heart—are featured as members of the brain’s rock band (the verso of the dust jacket is a poster of the band). Seluk’s breezy, conversational prose and brightly colored, boldly outlined cartoon illustrations deliver basic information. The brain’s role in keeping the heart beating and other automatic functions, directing body movements, interpreting sights and sounds, remembering smells and tastes, and regulating sleep and hunger are all explained, prose augmented by dialogue balloons and information sidebars. Seluk points out, importantly, that feelings originate in the brain: “You can control how you react…but your feelings happen no matter what.” The parodied album covers on the front endpapers (including the Beatles, Pink Floyd, Green Day, Run DMC, Queen, Nirvana) will amuse parents—or at least grandparents—and the rear endpapers serve up band members’ clever social media and texting screenshots. Backmatter includes a glossary and further brain trivia but no resources or bibliography.
A good overview of this complex, essential organ, with an energetic seasoning of silliness. (Informational picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-16700-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 22, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
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