by Gail Radley & illustrated by Jean Sherlock ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2001
In an example from a new series, Radley (Odd Man Out, 1995, etc.) takes an enlightened look at an array of endangered species that range across the globe. Each two-page spread describes an animal, its history and habitat, as well as the disturbing reality of man’s involvement in its declining numbers. The Key Facts section is a brief education in the animal’s scientific name, range, size, diet, and life span. While the writing in the main text is pedestrian, the work of contributing writers such as Jack Prelutsky, Issa, and William Blake appears throughout in poems or notes, which add a literary appreciation. Dark hues of oil paint dominate the scenery as Sherlock takes the reader into the forests and woodlands of each animal from Oahu Tree Snail to African Elephant. A backdrop of grass, leaves, and branches, overflows with a mix of blended and defined techniques that encourage attention to the impressive detail of the animals. An introduction explains the serious damage that continues to plague the ecosystem and includes vocabulary, an explanation of how scientists are working to increase the populations of endangered species, and suggestions for those who would like to help make a difference. A glossary, map, index, and additional reading list further encourage young readers to get involved in preservation efforts. (Nonfiction. 7-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2001
ISBN: 1-57505-405-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Carolrhoda
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2001
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by Gail Radley
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edited by Gail Radley & illustrated by Ellen Kandoian
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by Gail Radley
by Emily Calandrelli & Tamson Weston ; illustrated by Renée Kurilla ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 29, 2017
The story feels a bit contrived, but Ada will be a welcome addition to the small circle of science-loving girls in the...
Using science and technology, third-grader Ada Lace kicks off her new series by solving a mystery even with her leg in a cast.
Temporarily housebound after a badly executed bungee jump, Ada uses binoculars to document the ecosystem of her new neighborhood in San Francisco. She records her observations in a field journal, a project that intrigues new friend Nina, who lives nearby. When they see that Ms. Reed’s dog, Marguerite, is missing, they leap to the conclusion that it has been stolen. Nina does the legwork and Ada provides the technology for their search for the dognapper. Story-crafting takes a back seat to scene-setting in this series kickoff that introduces the major players. As part of the series formula, science topics and gadgetry are integrated into the stories and further explained in a “Behind the Science” afterword. This installment incorporates drones, a wireless camera, gecko gloves, and the Turing test as well as the concept of an ecosystem. There are no ethnic indicators in the text, but the illustrations reveal that Ada, her family, and bratty neighbor Milton are white; Nina appears to be Southeast Asian; and Mr. Peebles, an inventor who lives nearby, is black.
The story feels a bit contrived, but Ada will be a welcome addition to the small circle of science-loving girls in the chapter-book world. (Fiction. 7-9)Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-8599-9
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2017
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by Emily Calandrelli with Tamson Weston ; illustrated by Renée Kurilla
by Mike Lowery ; illustrated by Mike Lowery ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 7, 2021
A quick flight but a blast from first to last.
A charged-up roundup of astro-facts.
Having previously explored everything awesome about both dinosaurs (2019) and sharks (2020), Lowery now heads out along a well-traveled route, taking readers from the Big Bang through a planet-by-planet tour of the solar system and then through a selection of space-exploration highlights. The survey isn’t unique, but Lowery does pour on the gosh-wow by filling each hand-lettered, poster-style spread with emphatic colors and graphics. He also goes for the awesome in his selection of facts—so that readers get nothing about Newton’s laws of motion, for instance, but will come away knowing that just 65 years separate the Wright brothers’ flight and the first moon landing. They’ll also learn that space is silent but smells like burned steak (according to astronaut Chris Hadfield), that thanks to microgravity no one snores on the International Space Station, and that Buzz Aldrin was the first man on the moon…to use the bathroom. And, along with a set of forgettable space jokes (OK, one: “Why did the carnivore eat the shooting star?” “Because it was meteor”), the backmatter features drawing instructions for budding space artists and a short but choice reading list. Nods to Katherine Johnson and NASA’s other African American “computers” as well as astronomer Vera Rubin give women a solid presence in the otherwise male and largely White cast of humans. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A quick flight but a blast from first to last. (Informational picture book. 7-10)Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-338-35974-9
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
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More by Laura Murray
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by Laura Murray ; illustrated by Mike Lowery
BOOK REVIEW
by Laura Murray ; illustrated by Mike Lowery
BOOK REVIEW
by Mike Lowery ; illustrated by Mike Lowery
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