A lyrical soundscape that leaves room for observation and makes space for scientific discussion.
Four children in different countries hear a plethora of sounds in their natural surroundings.
As they explore the great outdoors, the two boys and two girls of varying ethnicities are told to “listen. / Hear. / Cup your ear.” They take note of the sounds made by the human body, the weather, various animals, and even a fiery volcano. On a farm in the USA, there is the “whistle, whir” of birds singing and flying past and the “screech and howl” of an owl and woodland foxes in the adjacent woods. In a tropical jungle in Brazil, there is the “drip, drop, drum” of rain and the “roar and WHOOSH” of a nearby waterfall. Readers are also transported to an alpine meadow filled with the “chomp and chew” of grazing cows and to a riverfront town in South Africa where the “slosh and lap” of waves greets the ear. Finally, as the day comes to an end and the kids return indoors to read and paint before going to bed, other sounds emerge: “whisper, / shush, / slumber, hush. / Purr, / snore, / sounds…no more.” The spare, rhyming text, consisting largely (but not exclusively) of onomatopoeic words, is enhanced by colorful, panoramic, scenic illustrations created with mixed media and Photoshop. The backmatter includes two pages of detailed information about “The Science of Sounds,” complete with “FUN FACT” sidelights and textbooklike diagrams of the human ear and human vocal cords.
A lyrical soundscape that leaves room for observation and makes space for scientific discussion. (Picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5415-9869-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Millbrook/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022
An additional choice for young readers interested in animal traits.
When King Lion holds a race to honor the fastest animal, Cheetah easily wins the title.
Cheetah runs 75 miles per hour in the 100-yard dash, but all the other animals clamor to show their own great speeds in different kinds of contests. Large and small, land and sea animals, birds and beasts, reptiles and insects: They tell their king the facts about their abilities. Husky says: “I am the fastest over long distances.” Ostrich wants all participants to “run on two legs to be fair to everyone.” A sea turtle thinks that the race should be held in the water, an idea heartily endorsed by a black marlin. A majestic peregrine falcon insists on the sky because these birds fly at 240 miles per hour, but a small free-tailed bat pipes up and says that the race “should be at night!” What’s a wise ruler to do? The king creates “an Olympics” with multiple events. Realistic illustrations in a somewhat dull palette of browns, blues, and greens bring animals together (not always to scale) in a dusty savanna landscape. The folkloric telling contrasts with the factual speeds of the animals included in the text. Educational activities in the backmatter, some beyond the ability of the intended readers of the main text, focus on mathematical and scientific comparisons. A Spanish-language edition publishes simultaneously in paperback only.
An additional choice for young readers interested in animal traits. (bibliography) (Informational picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-60718-739-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Arbordale Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
It’s worth a look, but it won’t be a star player in any collection.
Let’s talk about animal adaptations!
Preschoolers are naturally curious and are filled with a million and one questions (on a slow day). Kaner takes on some animal-themed questions by examining how different species of animals have adapted to deal with chilly weather. The species are international: Alaskan wood frogs, Japanese macaques, and guanacos share the book with more familiar species such as squirrels, butterflies, and penguins. Some species are rather far-reaching. Are tuataras on a preschooler’s radar? And although a beaver opens the book with a fanciful scenario in which it turns up a thermostat, it’s never revealed how beavers stay warm. Resourceful educators may use these more unusual species as a launchpad for further exploration. Martz’s illustrations, which appear to be digital, humorously support the text throughout. Disappointingly, however the design of the book fails to take advantage of the page turn. The questions Kaner asks (“Do honeybees use teamwork?”) are answered across the gutter, effectively stopping all open-ended discussion among readers. This is unfortunate because it greatly limits the use of the book or requires jury-rigged props to promote critical-thinking and discussion skills. Furthermore, there is no backmatter with further reading or more information about the animal species discussed.
It’s worth a look, but it won’t be a star player in any collection. (Informational picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Sept. 14, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-77147-292-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: May 27, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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