Get to know your favorite animals with this fun, clever book of poems.
The secret thoughts of wild animals and household pets are revealed in this book of poetry for children ages 5 and up.
Stevens’ book features poems about nearly three dozen animals—some sweet and furry, others you should probably stay far away from or risk losing a limb. Each animal receives its own poem detailing its daily life or revealing its innermost thoughts. The tale of Barnaby the Bear is particularly enjoyable, especially when it’s revealed that the cuddly bear eats bread and honey for lunch each day à la Winnie the Pooh. The poems are short, sweet and they sometimes rhyme, which is an ideal combination for young readers. While Stevens includes entertaining poems about alligators and hedgehogs, many readers will likely adore the simple tale of Henry the Hamster, who doesn’t understand why he never ends up anywhere new after spinning round and round in the plastic wheel in his cage. Stevens aims to make her poetry educational by subtly incorporating lines about how environmental factors can affect the lives of animals. In a passage about Danny the Duckling, a drought has caused his pond to run dry, so his family must relocate to a new home. This story could come in handy for parents trying to explain to their children why they’re moving to a new town. Nearly all of the animals receive their own pencil or crayon drawing, and each page features a black-and-white parrot as its background image, which adds a pleasant aesthetic touch. Although poorly photographed, the images are charming because they appear to have been drawn by children; young readers would perhaps appreciate more professional illustrations.
Get to know your favorite animals with this fun, clever book of poems.Pub Date: April 2, 2012
ISBN: 978-1467889995
Page Count: 98
Publisher: AuthorHouse
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The charming story of a brave child’s decision to make her life better.
An exuberant, cotton-candy pink introduction to hearing loss and cochlear implants for ages 5 and up.
Little Almigal’s hearing loss doesn’t get much better with hearing aids. While Ali’s friend Penelope, whose hearing aids work for her, uses both her voice and signs to communicate, Almigal only knows a word or two of sign language, so she’s frustrated at missing out on the sounds in her world. She declares that she needs “to hear every single sound in the whole entire universe!”—especially her parents saying “We love you Almigal” when she’s in bed and not wearing her hearing aids. Her doctor suggests cochlear implants to improve her hearing, and Almigal is all for it. The book gently covers Almigal’s trip to the hospital for the operation and the importance of handling the implants carefully, as displayed in episodes where Almigal fails to treat the implants properly, thus learning how important that care can be. The implants successfully help Almigal hear all the things she’d been missing. Although the story skips the controversy surrounding cochlear implants and their place in the deaf community, the cheerful inclusiveness will be a welcome introduction for children. Kupfer—whose own daughter, Ali, was diagnosed with profound hearing loss at 10 months of age—celebrates uniqueness, while the delightful, full-page illustrations show the lively heroine and her friends and family enjoying their differences. Almigal considers herself to be the luckiest girl in the world. “Do you want to know why?” she asks. “Because I have so many friends and each one is different.”
The charming story of a brave child’s decision to make her life better.Pub Date: April 16, 2012
ISBN: 978-0983829409
Page Count: 32
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Nov. 6, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A fact-filled but easily digestible skin cancer primer for ages 8–12.
In this informative children’s picture book, a young ball player squares off against the deadly carcinogen in the sky—the sun.
Standing in right field on a cloudless day, Charles is less worried about his Little League game than the hot sun beating down on him. His dermatologist dad has schooled Charles and his family in the perils of skin cancer caused by UV radiation in sunlight, so they’re all now paragons of solar vigilance: Charles’ sisters model the long sleeves, wide-brimmed hats and sunglasses that everyone over the age of 6 months should wear when outdoors, while his mother carefully takes shelter under an umbrella table. Yet as the game wears on, Charles suddenly notices his pinkening arms and cheeks; leaping into action, he dispenses an emergency ration of sunscreen to everyone on both teams. “ ‘Thanks, Charles,’ whispers Emily, the opposing player who makes his heart flutter; ‘You’ve saved the day.’ ” Barrow, a cancer education advocate, and Crutchfield, a University of Minnesota dermatology professor, weave an impressive amount of information about skin cancer around Charles’s small-scale heroics. Young readers will learn about the science of solar rays, how to recognize possibly cancerous spots on the skin, and how to use clothes, shade and sunscreen to protect themselves. Also, they’ll understand why tanning beds aren’t just a threat to health but a target of dermatological scorn. Sigmund’s storyboards and explanatory graphics are colorful and catchy, although Charles appears to be wearing a left-handed mitt on his right hand. The authors’ “SunAWARE” protocol is a rigorous one: apply sunscreen every two hours, cover up almost religiously and take meticulous notes about skin blemishes. It’s a lot to ask of kids, but the book distills these lessons into a useful, engaging teaching tool that should find a welcome place in homes, school libraries and pediatricians’ waiting rooms.
A fact-filled but easily digestible skin cancer primer for ages 8–12.Pub Date: June 8, 2012
ISBN: 978-1592984725
Page Count: 59
Publisher: Beaver's Pond Press
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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