“Within every ecosystem, each plant and animal is designed to serve a specific purpose in God's creation.” While this...
From Lake Michigan’s dunes through transition forests to the boreal forests and wetlands in the region’s north, a television host introduces inhabitants of three Great Lakes ecosystems from an intelligent-design perspective.
“Within every ecosystem, each plant and animal is designed to serve a specific purpose in God's creation.” While this proposition is not accepted by the great majority of scientists, it is repeatedly put forth, through examples and Biblical quotations, in this appreciation of the Great Lakes’ natural world. Schriemer defines his terms, introduces "HOMES" as a mnemonic to remember the five lake names and provides a map showing Michigan at their heart. He then introduces each ecosystem, with examples of characteristic animals and a plant for each. Each creature has a page with an explanation of its name, a short description of its appearance and behavior, a “crazy cool fact” and several color photographs. The images are not large, and a few are difficult to see—as are the animals themselves—but most will give young readers a good idea of what to look for. A DVD (not seen) is packaged with books in this series, which also includes the less well-written Ocean Adventures, about habitats of Hawaii. There are no sources or index in either book.Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-310-72142-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Zonderkidz
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2011
It’s not perfect, but it deserves solid consideration.
Otheguy presents a succinct chronicle of Pope Francis’ trajectory from his childhood in Buenos Aires to his papacy in Rome.
Straightforward storytelling reveals Jorge Bergoglio as a prayerful boy who loved soccer and learned about the goodness of all people from his grandma Rosa. As an adult, he became a Jesuit priest as part of his search to help people and eventually became the first South American and Jesuit pope in 2013. Otheguy successfully weaves Catholic concepts into the historical narrative, such as the election process for a new pope, and defines such potentially unfamiliar terms as “pontiff” while she underscores his care for prisoners, refugees, the planet, and children. Extensive backmatter, including a moving and personal author’s note and citations for the primary source quotations, elevates the historical content further. While the book succeeds in narration, it struggles in illustration. Depictions of Pope Francis are strong and realistic, but supporting characters, such as the cardinals, lack refinement. The book’s design is predictable: one or more paragraphs of text paired with Dominguez’s literal illustrations in acrylic, gouache, watercolor, ink, and pastel that bleed across the gutter. The overuse of jagged lines to represent sounds (think: ZAP! and POW! from 1960s TV Batman) is slightly tiresome; the figures’ gestures are enough to connote action. In spite of the shortfalls in illustration, this is an uplifting and solidly researched book about a significant world leader.
It’s not perfect, but it deserves solid consideration. (timeline, glossary, selected bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 5-9)Pub Date: Sept. 25, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-560-5
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This brief biography makes Frank’s writing an effective introductory focus for young readers.
Anne Frank’s story of confinement for several years after the Nazi takeover of the Netherlands, including her tragic death, is simply but accessibly told.
Marshall introduces Anne as an individual. “As a baby, Anne cried. LOUD. As a toddler, she was silly and made everyone laugh. And as a little girl, she spoke her mind.” Marshall intersperses this account with brief historical interludes. An image of Anne and her friend throwing water on people from a balcony is indicative of her happy early childhood, but by 1940 the Nazis invaded the Netherlands. When she receives her diary for her 13th birthday, the text notes that Anne “wrote about new rules that stopped her—and all Jews—from riding bikes, going to movies, playing in public parks, and attending public schools.” Children will understand how these restrictions would change life immeasurably. Marshall chronicles the Franks’ time in the Secret Annex with short, poetic sentences about what Anne wrote. The flat illustrations show Anne with her dark hair and intense eyes in happy and sad times, the lack of depth emphasizing Anne’s confinement. History is reflected on several pages with darker palettes that include maps to help readers understand the proximity of Germany to the countries it conquered. The last spread celebrates Anne’s legacy.
This brief biography makes Frank’s writing an effective introductory focus for young readers. (afterword, timeline, author's note, sources, bibliography, websites) (Picture book/biography. 7-9)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-338-31229-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
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