In the wake of Animals That Make Me Say Wow! and …Ouch! (both 2014), Cusick has nothing to offer but blood, sweat—and spit, mucus, poop, boogers (sorry, “nasal detritus”), mud, pee, musk, and puke.
Viewers hoping for titillation on every page aren’t going to get it, though there are enough close-ups of barfing birds, poop-slinging hippos, and nose-picking primates to justify the title. Nonetheless, most of the many big, bright photos portray animals more-conventionally posed in natural settings and engaging in less overtly disgusting behaviors. The author likewise tones down her theme by focusing not on the revolting details but on the reasons why, for instance, snakes shed their skins, rhinos and elephants eat their feces, and some “mammal moms” lick the bottoms of their offspring. Four online research “challenges” cap this broad if not deep survey of animal eating habits, offensive and defensive mechanisms, and sanitary practices.
A pleaser for budding zoologists, though those eager to meet the so-appealing hagfish or actually see a lizard squirting blood will have to look elsewhere. (index) (Nonfiction. 7-12)Pub Date: March 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-62354-063-0
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Imagine Publishing
Review Posted Online: Dec. 22, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS
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In the wake of Everything Awesome About Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Beasts! (2019), Lowery spins out likewise frothy arrays of facts and observations about sharks, whales, giant squid, and smaller but no less extreme (or at least extremely interesting) sea life.
He provides plenty of value-added features, from overviews of oceanic zones and environments to jokes, drawing instructions, and portrait galleries suitable for copying or review. While not one to pass up any opportunity to, for instance, characterize ambergris as “whale vomit perfume” or the clownfish’s protective coating as “snot armor,” he also systematically introduces members of each of the eight orders of sharks, devotes most of a page to the shark’s electroreceptive ampullae of Lorenzini, and even sheds light on the unobvious differences between jellyfish and the Portuguese man-of-war or the reason why the blue octopus is said to have “arms” rather than “tentacles.” He also argues persuasively that sharks have gotten a bad rap (claiming that more people are killed each year by…vending machines) and closes with pleas to be concerned about plastic waste, to get involved in conservation efforts, and (cannily) to get out and explore our planet because (quoting Jacques-Yves Cousteau) “People protect what they love.” Human figures, some with brown skin, pop up occasionally to comment in the saturated color illustrations. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 45% of actual size.)
An immersive dunk into a vast subject—and on course for shorter attention spans. (bibliography, list of organizations) (Nonfiction. 7-10)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-338-35973-2
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
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Animal advocate and Kitten Lady blogger Shaw shares facts and her experiences fostering kittens.
As an animal foster parent, Shaw provides a temporary home and special care to vulnerable kittens until they find an adopter. Most of the kittens she shelters are orphans, often found in “unexpected places” like trash cans and the side of the highway without their mothers. Neonatal kittens, those with their eyes still closed and ears folded, are the most defenseless. In order to grow up healthy, kittens need help regulating their body temperature, receiving nutrients, learning to groom themselves, and getting appropriate amounts of rest and activity. Shaw celebrates every adoption. Her home is never empty because there are always more kittens in need. Photographs with playful embellishments accompany the first-person, informational narrative. The prose is full of cutesy language (“li’l peanuts”; “snuggle-dumplings”), but the casual conversational style fits the undeniable sweetness of the kittens and doesn’t detract from the educational aspect of the text. Words set in bold, green text are defined in the glossary. Shaw adds a personal touch by naming many of the kittens depicted in the photographs and using them as examples as she describes the details of kitten care. Although she emphasizes the dedication and hard work required for raising kittens, she encourages readers to get involved and suggests creative ways to help.
Inviting and informative, with charming purrsonality. (author’s note) (Informational picture book. 7-12)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5344-3894-1
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: June 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY
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