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THE ELEPHANT TRUCK

Name: THE ELEPHANT TRUCK
Author: Will Travers
ISBN: 0-7613-0408-8

by Will Travers & illustrated by Lawrie Taylor ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 1998

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This Born Free Wildlife Book makes clear that the elephant may soon go the way of the passenger pigeon; ironically, humans are behind both the demise of the pachyderms, and their survival. Travers (whose parents are of Born Free fame; see McKenna, above) tells of one rescue effort, casting it first in fairly anthropomorphic terms, from the viewpoint of Tembo, the first elephant involved with the Elephant Translocation program. In Kenya, when the drought comes, hungry elephants invade farmers' fields, where they often eat and destroy a whole season's worth of crops. Scientists banded together to save Tembo—and other elephants in small reserves—by transporting him to the greener, wider pastures of Tsavo National Park. This section is depicted in Taylor's sand-colored drawings that personalize the elephants' ordeals with the farmers, while retaining the wild look of the animals. The second version of the tale takes a more fact-based approach, recreating the actual move, with full-color snapshots, journal-like entries, and a fact page to answer basic questions about elephants. Even to readers who have never seen elephants in the wild, this book makes clear the value of preserving both the animal and its habitat, and does so without condescension or oversimplification. (Picture book. 7-10)

Pub Date: Feb. 1, 1998

ISBN: 0-7613-0408-8

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Millbrook

Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1998

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

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1001 BEES

by Joanna Rzezak ; illustrated by Joanna Rzezak ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 18, 2021

Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere.

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This book is buzzing with trivia.

Follow a swarm of bees as they leave a beekeeper’s apiary in search of a new home. As the scout bees traverse the fields, readers are provided with a potpourri of facts and statements about bees. The information is scattered—much like the scout bees—and as a result, both the nominal plot and informational content are tissue-thin. There are some interesting facts throughout the book, but many pieces of trivia are too, well trivial, to prove useful. For example, as the bees travel, readers learn that “onion flowers are round and fluffy” and “fennel is a plant that is used in cooking.” Other facts are oversimplified and as a result are not accurate. For example, monofloral honey is defined as “made by bees who visit just one kind of flower” with no acknowledgment of the fact that bees may range widely, and swarm activity is described as a springtime event, when it can also occur in summer and early fall. The information in the book, such as species identification and measurement units, is directed toward British readers. The flat, thin-lined artwork does little to enhance the story, but an “I spy” game challenging readers to find a specific bee throughout is amusing.

Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere. (Informational picture book. 8-10)

Pub Date: May 18, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-500-65265-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Thames & Hudson

Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | CHILDREN'S ANIMALS

- BOOK REVIEW
1001 BIRDS
by Joanna Rzezak ; illustrated by Joanna Rzezak

- BOOK REVIEW
1001 ANTS
by Joanna Rzezak ; illustrated by Joanna Rzezak

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I AM GRAVITY

by Henry Herz ; illustrated by Mercè López ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 15, 2024

An in-depth and visually pleasing look at one of the most fundamental forces in the universe.

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An introduction to gravity.

The book opens with the most iconic demonstration of gravity, an apple falling. Throughout, Herz tackles both huge concepts—how gravity compresses atoms to form stars and how black holes pull all kinds of matter toward them—and more concrete ones: how gravity allows you to jump up and then come back down to the ground. Gravity narrates in spare yet lyrical verse, explaining how it creates planets and compresses atoms and comparing itself to a hug. “My embrace is tight enough that you don’t float like a balloon, but loose enough that you can run and leap and play.” Gravity personifies itself at times: “I am stubborn—the bigger things are, the harder I pull.” Beautiful illustrations depict swirling planets and black holes alongside racially diverse children playing, running, and jumping, all thanks to gravity. Thorough backmatter discusses how Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity and explains Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity. While at times Herz’s explanations may be a bit too technical for some readers, burgeoning scientists will be drawn in.

An in-depth and visually pleasing look at one of the most fundamental forces in the universe. (Informational picture book. 7-9)