Not a gold or silver but maybe a bronze.
A winter-sports metaphor to generate open-ended conversations about animal species.
Turner and Clifford have created a complex book that puts the power of decision in the hands of its readers. The story begins with a summation of the Wildlife Winter Games: 30 species of Arctic and Antarctic creatures compete for medals across 10 different sporting events. It will be up to readers to determine who wins each event. On the succeeding pages, different species are described under the filter of specific attributes. For example, in terms of hockey, polar bears’ large paws are advantageous when defending the goal, while wolverines are tenacious, and penguins are graceful and work well as a team. Which has the advantage? In this regard, the book is refreshing; its goal is not to create a traditionally plotted story but to provide a framework for readers to consider the merits presented and determine which qualities would ultimately lead to victory. While this concept should be applauded, there are a lot of missteps along the way, most notably the very narrow presentation of the animals’ attributes. Readers do not even learn which are from the Arctic and which are from the Antarctic. There is no backmatter for further reading nor even a map. Clifford’s illustrations of animals with sporting gear are humorous and slightly surreal but do little to enhance readers’ decision-making.
Not a gold or silver but maybe a bronze. (Informational picture book. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-76036-075-7
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Starfish Bay
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
The author of When Bugs Were Big, Plants Were Strange, and Tetrapods Stalked the Earth (2003) continues her droll but dependable tour of deep prehistory, focusing here on the flora, fauna and fungi of the Silurian and Devonian Periods, approximately 360 to 44 million years ago. This was the time when larger forms of life began to emerge on land, while, among the far richer variety of marine animals, fish wriggled to the top, thanks to newly developed jaws which allowed them “to say good-bye to a monotonous diet of teensy stuff. Now fish could grab, slice and dice to their heart’s content.” By the end, soil, forests and, of course, feet had also appeared. Fearlessly folding in tongue-challenging names and mixing simply drawn reconstructions and maps with goofy flights of fancy—on the first spread Robin Mite and Friar Millipede are caught on a stroll through Sherwood Moss Patch, and on the last, genial nautiloid Amphicyrtoceras plugs the previous volume—Bonner serves up a second heaping course of science that will both stick to the ribs and tickle them. (index, resource lists, time line) (Nonfiction. 8-12)
Pub Date: Oct. 9, 2007
ISBN: 978-1-4263-0078-3
Page Count: 48
Publisher: National Geographic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2007
A parrot costumed as detective leads readers through this collection of examples of animals “spying and prying” to find a mate, food or home or to avoid being eaten, of course, and animals tricking other eavesdroppers. While the conceit may be far-fetched, this is an appealing presentation of intriguing animal facts. Chapter by chapter, the text describes animals paying attention to each other and to other species. The examples are wide-ranging. Baboons, European robins and cichlids all look for a chance to horn in on a reproductive pair and get a chance to reproduce themselves. Predator fireflies watch for other firefly signal lights to pounce. Go-away-birds let dik-diks know when a predator is near. Siamese fighting fish watch others fight to challenge the loser; for female canaries, the loser is the best mate. And so on. A lively design includes photographs of the species, with notes attached. Each chapter has a slightly different colored background and is followed by an example of a further unusual behavior. Suggested additional reading, an exemplary bibliography and index complete the package. (Nonfiction. 8-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-55451-217-1
Page Count: 72
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2010
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