A fetching introduction that effortlessly delivers tons of fascinating facts.
On the way to school, a small whale with a big personality gets the lowdown from Mom on the whole cetacean clan.
It’s a good thing school isn’t too close, because Kogi (short for the scientific name Kogia sima) has much to absorb about what makes whales distinctive from other creatures, the differences between toothed and baleen whales, and how the entire family descended not from prehistoric marine reptiles like mosasaurs, but from a cat-size land-dwelling genus called Indohyus over the past 10 million years. The young enthusiast is thrilled to be a sperm whale, the largest of the toothed sort—but bummed when Mom offers a gentle correction. No, Kogi is a dwarf sperm whale, the smallest species of whale in the world. Worse yet, dwarf sperm whales don’t sing, nor do they swim as fast as dolphins. But, she consoles her fretful offspring, they are excellent echolocation hunters and suction feeders. Plus, along with their slightly larger cousins the pygmy sperm whales, they’re the only whales that can actually shoot ink out of their butts like squid to escape predators. “We’re stealth whales!” Kogi crows, high spirits restored. As in her book I’m a Dumbo Octopus! (2025), Lambelet fills her bright marine scenes with smiling but otherwise recognizably drawn sea life, peppers her work with a winning mix of humor and information, and closes with an actual photo of her effervescent, stubby-looking subject in the wild.
A fetching introduction that effortlessly delivers tons of fascinating facts. (glossary, bibliography, further reading) (Graphic nonfiction. 8-11)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
ISBN: 9798765685471
Page Count: 88
Publisher: Graphic Universe
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere.
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
What happens to the dogs when dogfighting rings are broken up and the trials are over? Typically, the dogs are put to sleep, thought to be too dangerous to re-enter society. Because of the wide publicity of the Michael Vick case, animal activists were able to work to rescue all but one of his dogs; this is the story of one that survived. The little black pit bull puppy, later named after World War II hero Audie Murphy, thrives in his foster home. Soon he goes to live with a family that wants to train him for agility competitions. Audie needs surgery on his bad knees though, so not only does he still need to learn how to be a safe and social dog, he also has to recover from an operation. Audie goes through Canine Good Citizen classes and does so well he eventually helps train other dogs. He also excels in his agility training once his knees have healed. Color photographs chronicling Audie’s journey are placed on vibrantly colored pages; Muñoz captures the dog’s personality in frame after frame. Patent's text is straightforward, expertly providing just the right level of background and choosing kid-friendly details to illustrate Audie's experiences. Ample backmatter provides further background and resources. Audie’s inspirational story is a case study in rehabilitation, one sure to appeal to animal loving children. (Nonfiction. 8-11)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8027-2272-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Walker
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
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