An unusual partnership in the natural world that should appeal to young animal lovers.
If you think a bird and a crocodile can’t get along, think again.
Meet the Egyptian plover—the “crocodile bird”—who shares a home along the River Nile with the mighty croc. Creatures that drink from the river flee the fearsome reptile in terror, but not so the plover. Not only does this bird fearlessly stand up to its scaly neighbor; it actually stands in it—inside its mouth, that is. The plover performs a service with a twofold purpose: The bird picks out juicy food bits lodged between the crocodile’s razor-sharp teeth—remainders of its previous meals. This helps the mighty beast avoid tooth decay while the bird ekes out a tasty meal from the morsels. Numerous spreads featuring dramatic close-ups of the crocodile’s gaping, toothy jaws and the gray, white, and black avian dental hygienist unflinchingly doing its work will fascinate young readers as they learn about an unfamiliar creature and a remarkable symbiotic relationship. The informative text is rendered via jaunty four-line rhyming verses that generally read and scan well. The illustrations’ palette is limited to shades of browns, grays, greens, and black and white, focusing on the crocodile and its helpful companion. The zebras, elephant, and wildebeests depicted in the opening spread suggest the African setting but aren’t actually found in Egypt.
An unusual partnership in the natural world that should appeal to young animal lovers. (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-76036-104-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Starfish Bay
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Bruce Goldstone’s Awesome Autumn (2012) is still the gold standard.
Rotner follows Hello Spring (2017) with this salute to the fall season.
Name a change seen in northern climes in fall, and Rotner likely covers it here, from plants, trees, and animals to the food we harvest: seeds are spread, the days grow shorter and cooler, the leaves change and fall (and are raked up and jumped in), some animals migrate, and many families celebrate Halloween and Thanksgiving. As in the previous book, the photographs (presented in a variety of sizes and layouts, all clean) are the stars here, displaying both the myriad changes of the season and a multicultural array of children enjoying the outdoors in fall. These are set against white backgrounds that make the reddish-orange print pop. The text itself uses short sentences and some solid vocabulary (though “deep sleep” is used instead of “hibernate”) to teach readers the markers of autumn, though in the quest for simplicity, Rotner sacrifices some truth. In several cases, the addition of just a few words would have made the following oversimplified statements reflect reality: “Birds grow more feathers”; “Cranberries float and turn red.” Also, Rotner includes the statement “Bees store extra honey in their hives” on a page about animals going into deep sleep, implying that honeybees hibernate, which is false.
Bruce Goldstone’s Awesome Autumn (2012) is still the gold standard. (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3869-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: June 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
A solid addition to Rotner’s seasonal series. Bring on summer.
Rotner follows up her celebrations of spring and autumn with this look at all things winter.
Beginning with the signs that winter is coming—bare trees, shorter days, colder temperatures—Rotner eases readers into the season. People light fires and sing songs on the solstice, trees and plants stop growing, and shadows grow long. Ice starts to form on bodies of water and windows. When the snow flies, the fun begins—bundle up and then build forts, make snowballs and snowmen (with eyebrows!), sled, ski (nordic is pictured), skate, snowshoe, snowboard, drink hot chocolate. Animals adapt to the cold as well. “Birds grow more feathers” (there’s nothing about fluffing and air insulation) and mammals, more hair. They have to search for food, and Rotner discusses how many make or find shelter, slow down, hibernate, or go underground or underwater to stay warm. One page talks about celebrating holidays with lights and decorations. The photos show a lit menorah, an outdoor deciduous tree covered in huge Christmas bulbs, a girl next to a Chinese dragon head, a boy with lit luminarias, and some fireworks. The final spread shows signs of the season’s shift to spring. Rotner’s photos, as always, are a big draw. The children are a marvelous mix of cultures and races, and all show their clear delight with winter.
A solid addition to Rotner’s seasonal series. Bring on summer. (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3976-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
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