In our world, oceans are everywhere, they affect everything, and everything we do has an effect on the oceans.
In their third joint foray into science-related picture books following A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars (2017) and Power Up (2019), Fishman and Greenberg exhort their readers to do “good deeds” for the ocean. The writer addresses his readers directly with this simple message but starts off with an explanation. Not only do oceans cover most of our planet, they provide almost all the water. Much of the oxygen we breathe comes from ocean plants, and if our food doesn’t come directly from the oceans, it relies on a water cycle that includes the oceans. Similarly, everything we do affects oceans. He points out that people haven’t always thought about human effects on the ocean: “Sometimes it takes a while to learn from your mistakes, right?” The large, legible text is set directly on bold cartoon art characterized by bright, flat colors, blocky shading, and heavy black outlines. The two kids shown on the cover (one black-presenting, one white-presenting) travel throughout the book. One double-page spread shows some suggested actions: cleaning a beach, studying a coral reef, helping seals in an aquarium. Sadly, a final spread still shows one of the kids flying the helium balloon that first appeared over an ocean filled with trash, a mixed message.
On this difficult issue, it’s hard to strike the right balance for young readers; this is a valiant effort. (author’s note) (Informational picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 19, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-06-295336-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 18, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020
Categories: CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 4, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
Categories: CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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Girl power abounds in this book about coding that introduces young readers to the world of programming while offering them hands-on activities via a companion app.
In this title that was first introduced as a customizable, personalized print-on-demand product, Rox has a superpower. Using code, she programs toy robots that can do things like make broccoli disappear—or mischief. When Dad tells Rox to clean her room, she quickly thinks up a bot that will do it for her, writing code that instructs her bot to use artificial intelligence to sort objects by color and type. Though Rox knows that there’s a high potential for her creation to rebel, the perks outweigh any potential adverse effects. Rox’s robot has her room neat and tidy in no time—and then the entire home. Chorebot’s AI allows it to keep learning, and it seems Chorebot can do no wrong until the robot decides to rearrange the entire city (both buildings and people) by type, style, and gender. Chorebot goes “out of his artificial mind!” Rox must now stop her creation…without the assistance of the internet. The artwork, styled in the tradition of popular superhero series, is peppy and colorful, and it depicts Rox as an adorable black girl donning a black bomber jacket and a pink tutu. A companion app (not available for review) allows readers to create a bot of their own.
Informative, empowering, and fun. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Nov. 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-57687-899-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: POW!
Review Posted Online: Sept. 2, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2018
Categories: CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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