by Kate Messner ; illustrated by Alexandra Bye ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 29, 2021
A satisfying and informative biography of Dr. Fauci that is sure to inspire.
A new kind of hero!
From early childhood, Anthony Fauci was curious and a problem solver, asking questions about science, sports, and religion, and trying to figure out the answers himself. Clear, straightforward text and appealing illustrations show how he also learned how to get along with almost everyone, from the tough kids on the Brooklyn streets to his father’s pharmacy customers (Anthony delivered prescriptions). By high school, he knew he wanted to be a doctor, and after many years of study, he embarked on a career of medicine and research on infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and Covid-19, providing information and describing preventative measures throughout the U.S. and around the world. The text emphasizes his skill and knowledge while giving equal time to social-emotional skills, in particular his ability to listen and communicate and his resilience and compassion. Youngsters who already know of Dr. Fauci will enjoy hearing about how he came to be the person he is today while those unfamiliar will glean new information and insight. The end pages include child-appropriate questions and answers on Covid-19 and vaccinations as well as Dr. Fauci’s tips for future scientists: “Keep an open mind. Don’t be afraid to fail. Get excited about discovery. Remember that science is self-correcting. Keep learning.” In scenes from the 1980s to the present, Bye takes care to surround her White protagonists with a racially and ethnically diverse cast. A satisfying and informative biography of Dr. Fauci that is sure to inspire. (timeline, recommended reading, bibliography, author's note) (Picture book/biography. 5-10)Pub Date: June 29, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-66590-243-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
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PERSPECTIVES
by Joanna Rzezak ; illustrated by Joanna Rzezak ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 18, 2021
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
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by Kari Lavelle ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 11, 2023
A gleeful game for budding naturalists.
Artfully cropped animal portraits challenge viewers to guess which end they’re seeing.
In what will be a crowd-pleasing and inevitably raucous guessing game, a series of close-up stock photos invite children to call out one of the titular alternatives. A page turn reveals answers and basic facts about each creature backed up by more of the latter in a closing map and table. Some of the posers, like the tail of an okapi or the nose on a proboscis monkey, are easy enough to guess—but the moist nose on a star-nosed mole really does look like an anus, and the false “eyes” on the hind ends of a Cuyaba dwarf frog and a Promethea moth caterpillar will fool many. Better yet, Lavelle saves a kicker for the finale with a glimpse of a small parasitical pearlfish peeking out of a sea cucumber’s rear so that the answer is actually face and butt. “Animal identification can be tricky!” she concludes, noting that many of the features here function as defenses against attack: “In the animal world, sometimes your butt will save your face and your face just might save your butt!” (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A gleeful game for budding naturalists. (author’s note) (Informational picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: July 11, 2023
ISBN: 9781728271170
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks eXplore
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2023
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