bookshelf

ANIMALS

Name: ANIMALS
Author: Louise Forshaw
ISBN: 978-1-4380-8916-4

DISCOVER INCREDIBLE ANIMAL HOMES

From the Where in the World series

illustrated by Louise Forshaw ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 6, 2020

Not a bad start for young explorers.

bookshelf

A simple and fun zoological atlas for young readers. This solid, durable board book is die cut into the shape of a semicircle on a pedestal. Each turn of the page opens on to a circular map of a part of the world. The front cover and back cover have mated Velcro patches, enabling the book to be held open in the shape of a globe (but, unfortunately, without the functionality). The opening tableau, “Animals Everywhere!” depicts the seven continents (representing one as Australia and not Oceania) and the four traditionally designated oceans. Each ocean and continent save Antarctica—perhaps because of its relative size?—is labeled, with a representative denizen pictured in or atop it. It seems a mistake not to capitalize on the appeal of penguins by naming Antarctica and depicting one of the iconic, tuxedoed fowl next to it, although a “lost” penguin appears with the inhabitants of the Arctic in a later spread, with a note clarifying its proper habitat. Below each pictured location, in the pedestal section of the globe, a representative sampling of local fauna appears along with an invitation to readers to find each one in the pictures appearing above. Each scene includes a round map showing the featured region’s location relative to neighboring parts of the world. Featured habitats include the Amazon rainforest, the African savanna, Australia, the Arctic, the Rockies, the ocean, forests, and deserts; in all, 54 different animals appear. Companion volume My Big Round World features denser geographical information. Not a bad start for young explorers. (Board book/novelty. 1-6)

Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-4380-8916-4

Page Count: -

Publisher: B.E.S. Publishing

Review Posted Online: Dec. 18, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

bookshelf

FUTURE ENGINEER

From the Future Baby series

by Lori Alexander ; illustrated by Allison Black ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 17, 2019

A book about engineering notable mostly for its illustrations of diverse characters. (Board book. 1-3)

bookshelf

Babies and engineers have more in common than you think.

In this book, Alexander highlights the unlikely similarities between babies and engineers. Like engineers, babies ask questions, enjoy building, and learn from their mistakes. Black’s bold, colorful illustrations feature diverse babies and both male- and female-presenting adult characters with a variety of skin tones and hair colors, effectively demonstrating that engineers can be any race or either gender. (Nonbinary models are a little harder to see.) The story ends with a reassurance to the babies in the book that “We believe in you!” presumably implying that any child can be an engineer. The end pages include facts about different kinds of engineers and the basic process used by all engineers in their work. Although the book opens with a rhythmic rhyming couplet, the remaining text lacks the same structure and pattern, making it less entertaining to read. Furthermore, while some of the comparisons between babies and engineers are both clever and apt, others—such as the idea that babies know where to look for answers—are flimsier. The book ends with a text-heavy spread of facts about engineering that, bereft of illustrations, may not hold children’s attention as well as the previous pages. Despite these flaws, on its best pages, the book is visually stimulating, witty, and thoughtful.

A book about engineering notable mostly for its illustrations of diverse characters. (Board book. 1-3)

Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-338-31223-2

Page Count: 24

Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic

Review Posted Online: June 22, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
SEEDS OF DISCOVERY
by Lori Alexander ; illustrated by Rebecca Santo

- BOOK REVIEW
CACTUS QUEEN
by Lori Alexander ; illustrated by Jenn Ely

- BOOK REVIEW
WHAT'S A GERM, JOSEPH LISTER?
by Lori Alexander ; illustrated by Daniel Duncan

bookshelf

I LIKE THE FARM

From the I Like To Read series

by Shelley Rotner ; photographed by Shelley Rotner ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 15, 2017

Simple, encouraging text, charming photographs, straightforward, unpretentious diversity, and adorable animals—what’s not to...

bookshelf

This entry-level early reader/picture book pairs children with farm animals.

Using a simple, effective template—a full-page photograph on the recto page and a bordered spot photo above the text on the verso—Rotner delivers an amiable picture book that presents racially and ethnically diverse kids interacting (mostly in the cuddling department) with the adult and baby animals typically found on a farm. Chickens, chicks, cats, kittens, dogs, puppies, pigs, piglets, cows, and calves are all represented. While a couple of double-page spreads show the larger adult animals—pigs and cows—without a child, most of the rest portray a delighted child hugging a compliant critter. The text, simple and repetitive, changes only the name for the animal depicted in the photo on that spread: “I like the cat”; “I like the piglet.” In this way, reading comprehension for new readers is supported in an enjoyable, appealing way, since the photo of the animal reinforces the new word. It’s hard to go wrong combining cute kids with adorable animals, but special kudos must be given for the very natural way Rotner has included diversity—it’s especially gratifying to see diversity normalized and validated early, at the same time that reading comprehension is taught.

Simple, encouraging text, charming photographs, straightforward, unpretentious diversity, and adorable animals—what’s not to like? (Picture book/early reader. 2-6)