A surprisingly simple yet mesmerizing introduction to a wonder of the natural world.
Imagine being bioluminescent like the living creatures that make their own light in the dark of night and ocean depths.
With a two-level text and illustrations that almost seem to glow, Kuo presents the phenomenon of bioluminescence to younger readers and listeners through the imagined explorations of a parent and child who are tan-skinned and dark-haired and outlined in tan. On black (or, once, deep blue) spreads, shades of orange and blue define the living things on the pages. The parent and child explore the woods at night, travel by boat (even into a cave), and imagine swimming in the ocean. They discover fungi, glowworms, and a variety of sea creatures that use their abilities to make their own light for different purposes. The humans’ facial expressions reflect their pleasure. Page turns indicate each change of focus and lead readers further into the exploration. The simple, poetic text and striking images make for an effective group read-aloud. Most spreads also include more extensive information in a short expository paragraph in a smaller font. Here Kuo introduces and defines concepts such as energy, bioluminescence, camouflage, dinoflagellates, biodiversity, and even light pollution. Kuo concludes with a powerful exhortation to readers: “So always look, / really look, // when it’s dark out.” (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A surprisingly simple yet mesmerizing introduction to a wonder of the natural world. (Informational picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-77164-888-2
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Greystone Kids
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
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
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