EAT YOUR ROCKS, CROC!

Dr. Glider diagnoses ailing animal patients and dispenses intriguing biology facts.

The author of Pink Is for Blobfish, illustrated by David DeGrand (2016), and its equally engaging sequels has adopted a new persona: Dr. Glider, a sugar glider, who travels the world in a variety of costumes and vehicles to explain to ailing animals why they feel bad and what they can do about it. The titular crocodile, for example, needs to swallow rocks (as do many birds, seals, and sea lions) to help with digestion. Each spread introduces a different animal species, with a different problem to be solved by the Oxford-educated doctor. On each spread, a question and answer appear in speech bubbles. A column of illustrated boxes on the right side adds four additional bits of intriguing information. The formatting of the text, with the serious facts set in a staid typeface and foolery in a somewhat more playful one, will help readers distinguish between fact and fancy. Keating’s language is full of puns, but her science is spot-on. Oswald’s cartoons add humor. Dr. Glider’s patients range from Will de Beest (an opportunity to introduce the concepts altricial and precocial) to Myrtle Meerkat (matriarchy and teamwork). They’re all identified with Latin names in the backmatter, where there is also a profile of Dr. Glider and a glossary that reveals the broad array of concepts and terms covered, from adaptation to venom.

Frankly fantastic but fact-filled fun.