A basic biological process presented appropriately for the beginning reader.
A tadpole can hardly wait to grow up.
A frog’s life cycle is ably and appealingly presented in an early-reader format by an experienced science writer. As the tadpole grows, it continually asks its neighbor, a snail, the title question, the equivalent of “Are we there yet?” The snail patiently explains each growth stage: the egg, where the frog started; the tadpole stage, including its parts and what they are for; and the changes on the way in the future. Leaping forward, in the penultimate act, the nearly transformed frog emerges to see the sky and feel the air. It will return to the water until its tail has been absorbed and it can survive both in and out of water. The conversation between frog and snail is presented in two colors, allowing dual read-alouds. The words and sentences are simple, with plenty of repetition. Rockwell’s illustrations, created with watercolor washes and digital tools, support beginning readers and add further information. We see the frog’s changing shape and size, its environment, some of its neighbors, and even its new long tongue, catching a dragonfly prey. An illustration toward the end depicts the frog life cycle—a solid review of the material covered in the book. These simple illustrations are realistic and accurate, right down to the snail. Reading teachers will especially welcome this informative title. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A basic biological process presented appropriately for the beginning reader. (Informational early reader. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-8234-5078-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
A simple but effective look at a keystone species.
Sea otters are the key to healthy kelp forests on the Pacific coast of North America.
There have been several recent titles for older readers about the critical role sea otters play in the coastal Pacific ecosystem. This grand, green version presents it to even younger readers and listeners, using a two-level text and vivid illustrations. Biologist Buhrman-Deever opens as if she were telling a fairy tale: “On the Pacific coast of North America, where the ocean meets the shore, there are forests that have no trees.” The treelike forms are kelp, home to numerous creatures. Two spreads show this lush underwater jungle before its king, the sea otter, is introduced. A delicate balance allows this system to flourish, but there was a time that hunting upset this balance. The writer is careful to blame not the Indigenous peoples who had always hunted the area, but “new people.” In smaller print she explains that Russian explorations spurred the development of an international fur trade. Trueman paints the scene, concentrating on an otter family threatened by formidable harpoons from an abstractly rendered person in a small boat, with a sailing ship in the distance. “People do not always understand at first the changes they cause when they take too much.” Sea urchins take over; a page turn reveals a barren landscape. Happily, the story ends well when hunting stops and the otters return…and with them, the kelp forests.
A simple but effective look at a keystone species. (further information, select bibliography, additional resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 26, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7636-8934-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
A highly simplified but inviting overview of marine biology.
What do marine biologists do?
To answer that question, Fliess focuses on fieldwork, certainly the most glamorous part of the job. After months of research, Maggie, a Black marine biologist, and her racially diverse team dive into the ocean to swim with humpback whales. They each have a different task, related to their personal research questions, and they’ve each brought different tools. The straightforward text offers general information about humpback whales, including migration, whale song, the use of fluke-slapping as an alarm signal, and diet (krill), as well as the importance of a hypothesis, part of the scientific method. At the conclusion of their research, the team members free a young whale calf trapped in a fishing net—an episode likely to appeal to young readers and listeners as well as a subtle reminder of the problem of trash in our waters. Depicting characters with round, oversize heads, Powell’s illustrations make the dive look both easy and fun, with scenes underwater and in the lab. One final spread includes relevant labels on images (flukes, dorsal ridge, plankton). Backmatter provides general information on marine biologists, what they do, and how to train to be one. There’s also a quick review of how Maggie and her group’s actions correspond to the scientific method. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A highly simplified but inviting overview of marine biology. (suggested reading) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-8075-4158-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
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BOOK REVIEW
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