An awe-inspiring introduction to cosmic evolution that makes the universe’s story feel both intimate and infinite.
Thomas and Egnéus explore the history of the universe through an appealingly simple lens: a single frog.
As a tan-skinned child observes frog eggs in a pond, Thomas poses a fundamental question: “Where did the first frog come from?” What follows is an extraordinary journey backward through billions of years, from the Big Bang through the formation of stars, the creation of our planet, the emergence of life, and evolution’s long march toward amphibians. Thomas’ poetic text maintains scientific accuracy while remaining comprehensible, explaining complex concepts such as atomic formation and cellular evolution without overwhelming youngsters. The refrain “but there were no frogs yet” provides both structure and a sense of anticipation as readers follow the progression from cosmic dust to living creatures. Egnéus’ illustrations are stunning, moving seamlessly from swirling galaxies and exploding stars rendered in deep blues and fiery oranges to microscopic life forms dancing in jewel tones. His mixed-media approach combines painted textures with digital elements, creating images that feel both scientifically grounded and dreamlike. The book beautifully circles back to modern frogs, connecting their life cycles to the entire cosmic story. Like the duo’s previous collaboration, Fox (2021), this work uses a familiar animal to illuminate profound concepts, though here the scope expands from life cycles to the universe itself. While ostensibly about frogs, this is fundamentally a creation story for the scientific age.
An awe-inspiring introduction to cosmic evolution that makes the universe’s story feel both intimate and infinite. (afterword) (Informational picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 13, 2026
ISBN: 9781547618200
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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
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