Within its focus on the elephants and the protagonists, this book is lovely, tender, and moving.
A very special bond develops between a group of elephants and the owners of an African wildlife refuge.
Thula Thula is a huge fenced refuge where rangers protect all the animals that live within. No hunting is allowed here. Lawrence and Françoise, the real-life proprietors of this enclave, are alerted to the plight of a herd of elephants, enraged after being hunted and mistreated, that threatens a village. Lawrence readily agrees to keep them at Thula Thula. Upon arrival, the elephants are placed in a boma, a wide fenced corral. But in their agitated state, they break down all the fences and escape, getting dangerously close to areas where they may be hunted. In brief, action-packed sentences, Tomsic informs readers of all the steps taken to bring them back, with the text placed against Hooper’s beautifully realized illustrations of African animals and the vast, gorgeous landscape. It is Lawrence’s concern, patience, and heartfelt communication with the elephants that form the heart of the tale, for long-lasting connection between these special humans and the animals they love is palpable. Lawrence Anthony (now deceased) was a White South African; Françoise Malby-Anthony is a White Frenchwoman. Secondary characters are Black, presumably Zulu. Sadly, the text does not locate Thula Thula in South Africa, nor does it address thorny issues resulting from the legacy of colonialism.
Within its focus on the elephants and the protagonists, this book is lovely, tender, and moving. (author’s note, acknowledgements, works cited) (Picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: May 18, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2783-5
Page Count: 68
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2021
Entertaining and informative.
Why do humans make blood, if not for thirsty vampires?
McAnulty teams up with illustrator Tenney to follow up her Brains! Not Just a Zombie Snack (2021) with a closer look at blood—specifically, human blood. Two movie-style vampires (pointy ears, widow’s peaks, and prominent canine teeth) engage in a funny yet edifying discussion about this essential liquid. The taller, older, purplish vampire, amusingly dressed in a pinstripe suit, really just wants to drink someone’s blood. They’ve walked from their spooky hilltop castle and bellied up to the bar at the “I Don’t Vant To Suck Your Blood Smoothie Shop,” having misread what’s on offer. To the older vampire’s dismay, the younger, shorter, rounder, blue-skinned one states that blood is more important to humans and belongs “in the cardiovascular systems” rather than in smoothie blenders. The little vampire clearly describes why blood is essential for human bodies; how it moves around the body via arteries, arterioles, and capillaries; what’s in it (white and red blood cells, plasma, and platelets); and what these components do (white blood cells fight disease). The tall vampire’s increasing disappointment is hilarious, but by the time the lively explanation is complete, they seem fairly sanguine about choosing a delicious, nonblood, chocolate milkshake. An author’s note emphasizes the importance of donating blood, and backmatter offers several intriguing facts about blood. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Entertaining and informative. (Informational picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-30405-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
Inspiring fare for the next generation of world savers…and their younger sibs.
An international gallery of young eco-activists, assembled to demonstrate that it’s never too soon to get going.
Except for a group of unnamed Chinese children who set up an “ecological field” near their school to demonstrate water-conservation strategies, all of the entries here focus on the initiatives of specific individuals. These youngsters range from tree planters, like 9-year-old Felix Finkbeiner of Germany and 12-year-old Adeline Tiffanie Suwana of Indonesia, to Brooklyn “Earth Saver Girl” Wright of Atlanta, Georgia, an African American child who dresses as a costumed superhero and created an eco-comic at age 7. (Greta Thunberg presumably is well known enough not to be included.) Each is shown hard at work, usually lecturing or leading racially diverse groups of recruits in planting, composting, picking up litter, or recycling. Lirius depicts South African Hunter Mitchell snuggling up to a baby rhino and New Yorker Jordan Salama (both appear White) handing a banana to an orangutan in the wild…experiences that most young audiences are unlikely to have. Still, along with depicting plenty of rather more feasible eco-activities, the illustrations are strewn with undulating lines of helpful descriptive notes and cogent warnings about the consequences of destructive practices, from air and water pollution to poaching. Kirby also lays out credibly doable suggestions at the end, plus a list of relevant, child-friendly websites. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-22-inch double-page spreads viewed at 80% of actual size.)
Inspiring fare for the next generation of world savers…and their younger sibs. (Informational picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: Feb. 9, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4197-4914-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Magic Cat
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2020
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