by Patricia Hegarty ; illustrated by Jessica Courtney-Tickle ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2017
An appealing invitation to elementary-age readers to marvel at animals who share their world.
A pint-sized compendium of facts about remarkable animal travels.
Sized just right for small hands and illustrated engagingly, this collection of informational tidbits is broadly organized into four sections: astonishing migrations; travels in, on, and near the water; animals whose journeys take place under extreme conditions; and interesting “animal antics.” The animals described come from around the world, beginning with the Arctic tern, a “super-commuter” (though the accompanying map of its travels is inaccurate), and going on to include whales and salmon, sea turtles and hippos, and three inhabitants of the Sahara desert whose specialized adaptations contribute to their survival, among the many others. At first, the author describes one animal per spread; later, several animals may be combined under a single topic, such as flying squirrels, flying snakes, flying fish, and Wallace’s flying frog—none of which actually fly. Not all the information is really about journeys: there are descriptions of honeybee dances, bat echolocation, two methods of camouflage, and two surprising defenses. The table of contents lists topics rather than animals, and there is no index. Courtney-Tickle’s illustrations vary from full double-page spreads to egg-shaped vignettes. They appear to be digitally created (with lots of spatter background) and show the animals in their probable environments. Page backgrounds blend nicely with the animal images, and vignettes are separately captioned.
An appealing invitation to elementary-age readers to marvel at animals who share their world. (Informational picture book. 7-10)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-944530-04-4
Page Count: 64
Publisher: 360 Degrees
Review Posted Online: Dec. 20, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2017
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by Rosanne Parry illustrated by Lindsay Moore ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2020
A dramatic, educational, authentic whale of a tale.
After a tsunami devastates their habitat in the Salish Sea, a young orca and her brother embark on a remarkable adventure.
Vega’s matriarchal family expects her to become a hunter and wayfinder, with her younger brother, Deneb, protecting and supporting her. Invited to guide her family to their Gathering Place to hunt salmon, Vega’s underwater miscalculations endanger them all, and an embarrassed Vega questions whether she should be a wayfinder. When the baby sister she hoped would become her life companion is stillborn, a distraught Vega carries the baby away to a special resting place, shocking her grieving family. Dispatched to find his missing sister, Deneb locates Vega in the midst of a terrible tsunami. To escape the waters polluted by shattered boats, Vega leads Deneb into unfamiliar open sea. Alone and hungry, the young siblings encounter a spectacular giant whale and travel briefly with shark-hunting orcas. Trusting her instincts and gaining emotional strength from contemplating the vastness of the sky, Vega knows she must lead her brother home and help save her surviving family. In alternating first-person voices, Vega and Deneb tell their harrowing story, engaging young readers while educating them about the marine ecosystem. Realistic black-and-white illustrations enhance the maritime setting.
A dramatic, educational, authentic whale of a tale. (maps, wildlife facts, tribes of the Salish Sea watershed, environmental and geographical information, how to help orcas, author’s note, artist’s note, resources) (Animal fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-299592-6
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
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by Rie Neal ; illustrated by Talitha Shipman ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 5, 2022
An exuberant portrayal of a girl with hearing restrictions reaching for the stars.
Astrid, a spunky, smart California third grader, has great aspirations.
She will become “the first astronaut with hearing aids,” a possibility that is treated very naturally within this story, the first in a new chapter book series. Joining the Shooting Stars, an after-school club devoted to all things space, has long been part of Astrid’s “Astronomically Grand Plan.” Though Astrid wants to go to space camp, it’s expensive, but a scholarship is available for the Shooting Stars student who earns the most points for completing the STEM-oriented Astro Missions. She discovers another problem when she realizes that her best friend, Hallie, is more interested in art than in STEM and joins the Petite Picassos club. How can Astrid navigate Shooting Stars without her BFF, especially when she and her teammate Veejay don’t start out well? Club teacher Ms. Ruiz stresses creativity and partnership, and math and science enthusiasts will be attracted to this book, but the real emphasis is on relationships. Astrid must befriend Hallie again after voicing her disappointment with her interests and learn to be a good teammate. Astrid is likable, and her story, told in first person, realistically explores her hearing issues, her initial problem-solving failures, and her successes. Black-and-white illustrations depict Astrid (wearing her hearing aids) and her family as light-skinned, though other students appear to be racially diverse, and Hallie is cued as Asian.
An exuberant portrayal of a girl with hearing restrictions reaching for the stars. (Chapter book. 7-10)Pub Date: July 5, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5344-8148-0
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
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