CAN YOU HIDE LIKE A CHAMELEON?

Animal trivia in a question-and-answer format.

Just as in Are You Stronger Than an Ant? (2024), Morgan peppers readers with intriguing questions: “Could you…climb up and down cliffs without any gear at all?” “Could you…ward off bad guys without a shield?” “Could you…light up the dark by giving off an inner glow?” Kids will likely respond with a resounding no, but the author goes on to describe creatures who do possess these abilities; she notes, for instance, that “a mountain goat’s hooves make steep climbing easy.” Text in a smaller font goes into more depth about each animal’s ability, while the accompanying image depicts a child attempting the feat (in this case, a youngster clings uncertainly to the side of a cliff as a bemused mountain goat looks on). Nine of the examples relate to animals. The inclusion of an oak tree whose limbs “make a home…for oodles and oodles of others” will be a surprise. At times, the writing is awkward. The last words of each question and answer rhyme; some words seem to have been chosen for the sake of rhyme, not meaning. Morgan introduces the sea star (referred to here as a starfish) by asking if readers could “go through life without a brain”; the answer and subsequent explanation don’t discuss its lack of a brain. A final list of facts summarizes the information. The children are diverse; one uses a wheelchair.

Engaging in concept and format but graceless in delivery.