Cultural misstep aside, this is a great choice for dog and science lovers alike.
“Super sniffer” dogs scent scat on land and at sea for scientific research.
This examination of scat-detection dogs, who sniff out the feces of different creatures scientists study, begins with a fictional story based in reality. “Freddie” is saved from certain death in a shelter because he exemplifies two qualities essential in scat-detection dogs: high energy and the ability to focus. Beginning with the science behind what makes dogs such great sniffers, the book offers detailed text with lots of color photographs on glossy paper and sidebar photos with additional information. Background on how dogs began working in scat detection is followed up with information on training. Everything about these dogs is impressive. The stories of individual dogs (who often specialize in certain kinds of scat) are chronicled next, encouraging readers to connect to them as individuals. These dogs’ stories take readers from mountain to ocean, desert, forest, and everglade. Readers are sure to come away with a deep fascination with and appreciation for scat-detection dogs’ essential contributions to conservation work. Why Wadworth makes assumptions about the knowledge and feelings of students outside the U.S. who meet scat dogs and their handlers (perhaps a chance for a teachable moment) is questionable and perplexing, however.
Cultural misstep aside, this is a great choice for dog and science lovers alike. (introduction, author’s note, glossary, resources, sources, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 8-14)Pub Date: Oct. 11, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-58089-650-4
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant.
Robot Roz undertakes an unusual ocean journey to save her adopted island home in this third series entry.
When a poison tide flowing across the ocean threatens their island, Roz works with the resident creatures to ensure that they will have clean water, but the destruction of vegetation and crowding of habitats jeopardize everyone’s survival. Brown’s tale of environmental depredation and turmoil is by turns poignant, graceful, endearing, and inspiring, with his (mostly) gentle robot protagonist at its heart. Though Roz is different from the creatures she lives with or encounters—including her son, Brightbill the goose, and his new mate, Glimmerwing—she makes connections through her versatile communication abilities and her desire to understand and help others. When Roz accidentally discovers that the replacement body given to her by Dr. Molovo is waterproof, she sets out to seek help and discovers the human-engineered source of the toxic tide. Brown’s rich descriptions of undersea landscapes, entertaining conversations between Roz and wild creatures, and concise yet powerful explanations of the effect of the poison tide on the ecology of the island are superb. Simple, spare illustrations offer just enough glimpses of Roz and her surroundings to spark the imagination. The climactic confrontation pits oceangoing mammals, seabirds, fish, and even zooplankton against hardware and technology in a nicely choreographed battle. But it is Roz’s heroism and peacemaking that save the day.
Hugely entertaining, timely, and triumphant. (author’s note) (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2023
ISBN: 9780316669412
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
This delightful debut welcomes readers in like a house filled with love.
A 13-year-old biracial girl longs to build the house of her dreams.
For Lou Bulosan-Nelson, normal is her “gigantic extended family squished into Lola’s for every holiday imaginable.” She shares a bedroom with her Filipina mother, Minda—a former interior-design major and current nurse-to-be—in Lola Celina’s San Francisco home. From her deceased white father, Michael, Lou inherited “not-so-Filipino features,” his love for architecture, and some land. Lou’s quietude implies her keen eye for details, but her passion for creating with her hands resonates loudly. Pining for something to claim as her own, she plans to construct a house from the ground up. When her mom considers moving out of state for a potential job and Lou’s land is at risk of being auctioned off, Lou stays resilient, gathering support from both friends and family to make her dream a reality. Respicio authentically depicts the richness of Philippine culture, incorporating Filipino language, insights into Lou’s family history, and well-crafted descriptions of customs, such as the birdlike Tinikling dance and eating kamayan style (with one’s hands), throughout. Lou’s story gives voice to Filipino youth, addressing cultural differences, the importance of bayanihan (community), and the true meaning of home.
This delightful debut welcomes readers in like a house filled with love. (Fiction. 8-13)Pub Date: June 12, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5247-1794-0
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Wendy Lamb/Random
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
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