A carefully constructed, absolutely engaging primer on fierce cats in the wild.
Vignettes about lions, jaguars, tigers, pumas, and other predator cats blend science and exciting narratives.
The dangerous and fascinating creatures that make up the Felidae family each get the spotlight in this picture book from wildlife ecologist Williams. Through stories that unfold each hour over the course of a day, from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m., Williams drops facts about various types of large cat within satisfying scenes. A smart two-page spread introduces the book by explaining which cats belong to the Panthera and Puma branches of the cat family tree, how they are related to domestic cats, and which cat is no longer with us. (Spoiler: The saber-toothed tiger went extinct 10,000 years ago.) The incredible speed of a cheetah, the climbing skills of a black panther, and the stealthy stalking techniques of the puma—which yowls and screeches because it can't roar—aren't just listed as dry facts. They are part of a set of stories that show how these cats interact with environments all over the world and with creatures such as African elephants, black caimans, and spotted hyenas. In between the scenes are more detailed two-page spreads covering camouflage, where cats are found in the wild across the world, their relative sizes, and what biological features make them jump high, chomp strongly, and run at high speeds. Throughout, Prabhat’s graceful art makes vivid use of color as it depicts cats in moments of intense action but stops short of including blood or gore in hunting scenes. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A carefully constructed, absolutely engaging primer on fierce cats in the wild. (glossary, index) (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-68449-207-7
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Neon Squid/Macmillan
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 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
A warm and fuzzy look at animals living with disabilities.
Emerson profiles three animals with disabilities featured in The Dodo’s “Little but Fierce” online video series.
In two to three sentences per page, the author introduces a tiny trio. Vera, a French bulldog, “could fit into a teacup,” and her cleft palate made eating difficult; Cody, an alpaca, was too small to stand on her own; and Karamel, a squirrel, was injured in a trap, necessitating the amputation of her four legs (referred to as “arms”). Fortunately, patient humans nursed each back to relative health: “It only takes a little love to make a BIG difference!” Fans of cuddly animals will enjoy the cheery color photos as Vera mugs at the camera, Cody poses in a unicorn costume, and Karamel zooms with her wheeled prostheses. Kids with disabilities may find their furry counterparts comforting or cool. Though the text frames the plucky animals’ disabilities positively, it occasionally does so via clichés that humans with disabilities encounter all too often—though Vera is small, she “doesn’t let that stop her”; Cody “may be tiny, but her heart is BIG!” The page layout is rather busy. Against a graph-paper background, bright blue, green, pink, and yellow borders and text boxes compete with photos and text; occasional blue text against blue background is somewhat hard to read. A glossary defines terms printed in the narrative in boldface, such as “surgery” and “prosthetic.”
A warm and fuzzy look at animals living with disabilities. (Informational early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-338-57619-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2019
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