by Susan Hughes ; illustrated by Ellen Rooney ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 4, 2021
A decent overview that’s more approachable than a textbook.
A basic introduction to the properties and measurement of sound.
A short-haired, brown-skinned child and a dog with a bandanna around its neck serve as cheerful guides through informal informational text and textured, cartoon illustrations. Everyday scenes, like a busy city street, appear alongside more fanciful ones, like a dog-versus-child drag race. Descriptions of various sounds lead into explanations of sound’s forms and functions as well as related facts about animals (for example, bats use echolocation) and prompts for experiments that readers can do on their own (like feeling for vibrations in your neck when you hum). Concentric circles and repeated curves help readers spot sound waves in every situation. The content is broader than it is deep: While it doesn’t contain a complete physical description of a pressure wave, for instance, it does have a simple basic explanation of how sounds travel from the world into our brains. It doesn’t diagram human inner ear bones, either, but it does feature a nifty graph of the hearing ranges of 12 different animals. One notable misstep is the spread about decibels, which fails to communicate that this measure of sound’s power doesn’t increase in linear fashion; 20 dB is not 10 plus louder than 10 dB, but 10 times louder. That’s pretty important for readers trying to follow the recommendation “To keep your ears safe, stay away from really loud noise”! (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A decent overview that’s more approachable than a textbook. (activity, glossary) (Informational picture book. 5-10)Pub Date: May 4, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5253-0250-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
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by Kate Messner ; illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 13, 2022
More thoughtful, sometimes exhilarating encounters with nature.
In a new entry in the Over and Under series, a paddleboarder glimpses humpback whales leaping, floats over a populous kelp forest, and explores life on a beach and in a tide pool.
In this tale inspired by Messner’s experiences in Monterey Bay in California, a young tan-skinned narrator, along with their light-skinned mom and tan-skinned dad, observes in quiet, lyrical language sights and sounds above and below the sea’s serene surface. Switching perspectives and angles of view and often leaving the family’s red paddleboards just tiny dots bobbing on distant swells, Neal’s broad seascapes depict in precise detail bat stars and anchovies, kelp bass, and sea otters going about their business amid rocky formations and the swaying fronds of kelp…and, further out, graceful moon jellies and—thrillingly—massive whales in open waters beneath gliding pelicans and other shorebirds. After returning to the beach at day’s end to search for shells and to spot anemones and decorator crabs, the child ends with nighttime dreams of stars in the sky meeting stars in the sea. Appended nature notes on kelp and 21 other types of sealife fill in details about patterns and relationships in this rich ecosystem. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
More thoughtful, sometimes exhilarating encounters with nature. (author’s note, further reading) (Informational picture book. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-79720-347-8
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
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by Sonia Manzano ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 15, 2020
Engaging, well-chosen images and a clear, coherent text illuminate the importance of empathy for the world’s inhabitants.
Large color photographs (occasionally composed of montages) and accessible, simple text highlight global similarities and differences, always focusing on our universal connections.
While child readers may not recognize Manzano, the Puerto Rican actress who played Maria on Sesame Street, adults will recognize her as a trusted diverse voice. In her endnote, she explains her desire to “encourage lively conversations about shared experiences.” Starting out with the familiar, home and community, the text begins with “How many WONDERFUL PEOPLE do you know?” Then it moves out to the world: “Did you know there are about 8 BILLION PEOPLE on the planet?” The photo essay features the usual concrete similarities and differences found in many books of this type, such as housing (a Mongolian yurt opposite a Hong Kong apartment building overlooking a basketball court), food (dumplings, pizza, cotton candy, a churro, etc.), and school. Manzano also makes sure to point out likenesses in emotions, as shown in a montage of photos from countries including China, Spain, Kashmir (Pakistan/India), and the United States. At the end, a world map and thumbnail images show the locations of all photos, revealing a preponderance of examples from the U.S. and a slight underrepresentation for Africa and South America.
Engaging, well-chosen images and a clear, coherent text illuminate the importance of empathy for the world’s inhabitants. (Informational picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4263-3738-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: National Geographic Kids
Review Posted Online: May 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2020
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