A nonfiction introduction to black bear yearlings for the youngest children.
An introduction to black bear yearlings from nature photographer/author Holland.
Readers meet Yodel and his family (the cubs cannot be differentiated in the photos) as they “are just waking up from a long winter’s nap.” The cubs will have another six months to learn survival skills from their mother before they will have to “say goodbye” to her. (Holland anthropomorphizes the bears’ feelings and actions throughout.) Yodel’s days are filled with napping, grooming, chewing sticks, playing with his siblings, nursing, and looking for food. When their mother leaves them to find food, the cubs climb the “babysitter tree” until her return. The few short sentences with easy vocabulary on each page make this ideal for young children and new readers. Holland’s photos include some great shots of the babysitter tree, the family group, and the brothers wrestling. Several, though, are more difficult to make out; the bears’ black fur makes them blend into one another and into background tree bark. Backmatter explains the difference between torpor and hibernation and includes two activities: one identifying what black bears eat from among 11 photos and the other matching descriptions of evidence of black bears to photos. Answers are right-side-up at the bottoms of the pages. The lengthy sentences and tougher vocabulary (which includes more scientific words, though, sadly, the verbs “pee” and “poop” are not augmented by less-juvenile terms, as the noun “poop” is by “scat” in a different section) in the backmatter are aimed at more-able readers than the rest of the text. A Spanish-language edition, Yodel, el chiquitín, publishes simultaneously.
A nonfiction introduction to black bear yearlings for the youngest children. (Informational picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Feb. 10, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-60718-448-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Arbordale Publishing
Review Posted Online: Nov. 21, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
A funny and clever process story.
A worm explains composting.
Worm sets out to make a sandwich for readers. But, as our protagonist points out, “worms don’t have hands!” Luckily, a red-headed, light-skinned, ruddy-cheeked young gardener’s on hand to assist. With self-deprecating charm, Worm describes the nuts and bolts of composting. Enter Worm’s favorite food: garbage, but “just things from plants.” After eating, Worm makes “delicious, nutritious poop,” which becomes healthy dirt for the seeds that will grow the plants for the sandwich. Worm reminds readers that garbage, poop, and dirt are “not for your sandwich,” while the seed, which will become a plant, will be “sort of…eventually.” Farley effectively builds anticipation for the ultimate denouement, though impatient Worm’s mettle is tested: “Why is this sandwich taking so long?…Where did I go wrong?…I’m so little…Maybe I can’t make a sandwich.” A lush spread follows, with a worm’s-eye view of a pendulous tomato surrounded by yummy-looking greens. The young gardener, who assembles and eats the sandwich, provides leftovers—garbage to eat!—and the cycle begins anew for Worm. Farley’s humorous illustrations include spot art, underground cutaways filled with comical, garbage-eating critters (who occasionally offer commentary), labels for various items, and magnified images of microbes and soil.
A funny and clever process story. (more information on composting) (Informational picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Feb. 18, 2025
ISBN: 9780593697801
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Admittedly, these animals won’t kill you, dear reader—still, it’s an awe-inspiring lineup of dangerous darlings.
“Precious-looking predators” parade their way through this rogues’ gallery of menacing cuties.
For each animal, a page touting its cuddliness precedes one focusing on its fierce features. The slow loris has poisonous fur and fangs (it’s the world’s only venomous primate), the “highly aggressive” grasshopper mouse eats scorpions and tarantulas, the hedgehog wields razor-sharp claws, the northern pygmy owl preys on animals three times its size, the penny-size bumblebee bat consumes 4,000 insects in its daily hour of hunting, and the platypus sports venomous barbs (for defeating mating rivals, not for predation). Fabulous facts about several other animals from around the world will fascinate readers, though they likely won’t frighten them; despite the title, most of these creatures aren’t deadly to humans. Indeed, wordplay such as “howl-arious,” “fur-ocious,” and “a class owl their own” may be more painful than the wounds these creatures could inflict. But the engaging, informative text, which introduces several potentially unfamiliar animals and offers a new view of well-known ones (dangerous ladybugs?!), will keep readers turning pages. Sidebars list each animal’s scientific name, size, habitat, favorite foods, and conservation status. Stylized cartoon illustrations use heavy, simplified outlines and unrealistic effects like starry eyes, while flat backgrounds let readers focus on the fuzzies. The last two pages provide actual photos of each creature.
Admittedly, these animals won’t kill you, dear reader—still, it’s an awe-inspiring lineup of dangerous darlings. (Informational picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781728285290
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Sourcebooks eXplore
Review Posted Online: April 19, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2025
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