A visually compelling, gently presented tale of climate crisis.
The polar bears of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge make do until the arrival of winter.
Because of climate change, sea ice now melts earlier in the spring and forms later in the autumn, so hungry bears must find a way to survive until the ice appears and they can hunt for seals. This take on the animals’ plight stands out due to Gorman’s amazing photographs. The bears aren’t white, but brown “from lying around in the sand.” At times, they look close enough to pet, although Gorman, who’s previously covered the Arctic, clearly knows better. In his fetching images, the animals sometimes even seem to be posing. Against a background of rocks and driftwood on a desolate beach, two cubs entertain themselves, playing with sticks and seaweed and roughhousing as their exhausted mother naps. Finally, several mothers and cubs swim to a nearby island, where the Iñupiat villagers have left the remnants of their fall whale hunt. Scraps of food remain, and the bones make a giant jungle gym for the cubs to climb. With snow comes a new way to play as the youngsters romp and cavort. Once the sea freezes over, the animals can hunt again. Gorman employs a light touch, emphasizing the juvenile bears’ love of play rather than their hunger; still, the impact of global warming comes through. Youngsters will be moved by these creatures’ predicament; caregivers should consult the backmatter, which offers guidance on discussing the topic.
A visually compelling, gently presented tale of climate crisis. (information on the ANWR, facts on polar bears) (Informational picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781630793210
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Capstone Editions
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again.
Cece loves asking “why” and “what if.”
Her parents encourage her, as does her science teacher, Ms. Curie (a wink to adult readers). When Cece and her best friend, Isaac, pair up for a science project, they choose zoology, brainstorming questions they might research. They decide to investigate whether dogs eat vegetables, using Cece’s schnauzer, Einstein, and the next day they head to Cece’s lab (inside her treehouse). Wearing white lab coats, the two observe their subject and then offer him different kinds of vegetables, alone and with toppings. Cece is discouraged when Einstein won’t eat them. She complains to her parents, “Maybe I’m not a real scientist after all….Our project was boring.” Just then, Einstein sniffs Cece’s dessert, leading her to try a new way to get Einstein to eat vegetables. Cece learns that “real scientists have fun finding answers too.” Harrison’s clean, bright illustrations add expression and personality to the story. Science report inserts are reminiscent of The Magic Schoolbus books, with less detail. Biracial Cece is a brown, freckled girl with curly hair; her father is white, and her mother has brown skin and long, black hair; Isaac and Ms. Curie both have pale skin and dark hair. While the book doesn’t pack a particularly strong emotional or educational punch, this endearing protagonist earns a place on the children’s STEM shelf.
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again. (glossary) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 19, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-249960-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
A well-meaning but lackluster tribute.
Readers bid farewell to a beloved canine character.
Momo is—or was—an adorable and very photogenic border collie owned by author Knapp. The many readers who loved him in the previous half-dozen books are in for a shock with this one. “Momo had died” is the stark reality—and there are no photographs of him here. Instead, Momo has been replaced by a flat cartoonish pastiche with strange, staring round white eyes, inserted into some of Knapp’s photography (which remains appealing, insofar as it can be discerned under the mixed media). Previous books contained few or no words. Unfortunately, virtuosity behind a lens does not guarantee mastery of verse. The art here is accompanied by words that sometimes rhyme but never find a workable or predictable rhythm (“We’d fetch and we’d catch, / we’d run and we’d jump. Every day we found new / games to play”). It’s a pity, because the subject—a pet’s death—is an important one to address with children. Of course, Momo isn’t gone; he can still be found “everywhere” in memories. But alas, he can be found here only in the crude depictions of the darling dog so well known from the earlier books.
A well-meaning but lackluster tribute. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781683693864
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Quirk Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
