A visual treat.
An author/illustrator shares his favorite butterflies from around the world.
Spreads showcase one to four butterflies. The brightly colored, remarkably textured collage illustrations steal the show; “the layering of these paper collages reminded me of the scales in butterfly wings,” Valério writes in his introduction. Factual information about butterflies’ habitats, diets, wing patterns, and more are included. The book lacks a table of contents (though there is an index); its primary system of organization seems to be based on the color-coded legend that opens the book (along with spreads about a butterfly’s life cycle and body parts), showing which areas of the world the butterflies live in and what page numbers they fall on. It’s a book built for browsing, and the title underscores that it’s a collection of this author/illustrator’s personal favorites. His introduction, all about his fascination with butterflies as a child in Brazil, successfully establishes a personal connection with readers. And his sense of wonder compels the page turns: “Amazingly,” he writes at one point, “the black pattern on the underside of this butterfly’s wings looks like…it is wearing a team jersey!” It’s as if he is right there with readers, exclaiming over his delight in these creatures. Moments of humor make it all the more enjoyable: “Insects don’t read maps so some of the butterflies in this collection can be found on more than one continent.” (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A visual treat. (glossary, further reading) (Informational picture book. 4-10)Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77306-335-5
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Groundwood
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2021
A ribald and uproarious warning to those unschooled in fishy goings-on.
Sharpson offers so-fish-ticated readers a heads up about the true terror of the seas.
The title says it all. Our unseen narrator is just fine with other animals: mammals. Reptiles. Even birds. But fish? Don’t trust them! First off, the rules always seem to change with fish. Some live in fresh water; some reside in salt water. Some have gills, while others have lungs. You can never see what they’re up to, since they hang out underwater, and they’re always eating those poor, innocent crabs. Soon, the narrator introduces readers to Jeff, a vacant-eyed yellow fish—but don’t be fooled! Jeff’s “the craftiest fish of all.” All fish are, apparently, hellbent on world domination, the narrator warns. “DON’T TRUST FISH!” Finally, at the tail end, we get a sly glimpse of our unreliable narrator. Readers needn’t be ichthyologists to appreciate Sharpson’s meticulous comic timing. (“Ships always sink at sea. They never sink on land. Isn’t that strange?”) His delightful text, filled to the brim with jokes that read aloud brilliantly, pairs perfectly with Santat’s art, which shifts between extreme realism and goofy hilarity. He also fills the book with his own clever gags (such as an image of Gilligan’s Island’s S.S. Minnow going down and a bottle of sauce labeled “Surly Chik’n Srir’racha’r”).
A ribald and uproarious warning to those unschooled in fishy goings-on. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 8, 2025
ISBN: 9780593616673
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
PERSPECTIVES
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again.
Cece loves asking “why” and “what if.”
Her parents encourage her, as does her science teacher, Ms. Curie (a wink to adult readers). When Cece and her best friend, Isaac, pair up for a science project, they choose zoology, brainstorming questions they might research. They decide to investigate whether dogs eat vegetables, using Cece’s schnauzer, Einstein, and the next day they head to Cece’s lab (inside her treehouse). Wearing white lab coats, the two observe their subject and then offer him different kinds of vegetables, alone and with toppings. Cece is discouraged when Einstein won’t eat them. She complains to her parents, “Maybe I’m not a real scientist after all….Our project was boring.” Just then, Einstein sniffs Cece’s dessert, leading her to try a new way to get Einstein to eat vegetables. Cece learns that “real scientists have fun finding answers too.” Harrison’s clean, bright illustrations add expression and personality to the story. Science report inserts are reminiscent of The Magic Schoolbus books, with less detail. Biracial Cece is a brown, freckled girl with curly hair; her father is white, and her mother has brown skin and long, black hair; Isaac and Ms. Curie both have pale skin and dark hair. While the book doesn’t pack a particularly strong emotional or educational punch, this endearing protagonist earns a place on the children’s STEM shelf.
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again. (glossary) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 19, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-249960-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
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