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 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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by Kari Lavelle ; illustrated by Bryan Collier
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by Kari Lavelle ; illustrated by Nabi H. Ali
by Kimberly Derting & Shelli R. Johannes ; illustrated by Vashti Harrison ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 19, 2018
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again.
Cece loves asking “why” and “what if.”
Her parents encourage her, as does her science teacher, Ms. Curie (a wink to adult readers). When Cece and her best friend, Isaac, pair up for a science project, they choose zoology, brainstorming questions they might research. They decide to investigate whether dogs eat vegetables, using Cece’s schnauzer, Einstein, and the next day they head to Cece’s lab (inside her treehouse). Wearing white lab coats, the two observe their subject and then offer him different kinds of vegetables, alone and with toppings. Cece is discouraged when Einstein won’t eat them. She complains to her parents, “Maybe I’m not a real scientist after all….Our project was boring.” Just then, Einstein sniffs Cece’s dessert, leading her to try a new way to get Einstein to eat vegetables. Cece learns that “real scientists have fun finding answers too.” Harrison’s clean, bright illustrations add expression and personality to the story. Science report inserts are reminiscent of The Magic Schoolbus books, with less detail. Biracial Cece is a brown, freckled girl with curly hair; her father is white, and her mother has brown skin and long, black hair; Isaac and Ms. Curie both have pale skin and dark hair. While the book doesn’t pack a particularly strong emotional or educational punch, this endearing protagonist earns a place on the children’s STEM shelf.
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again. (glossary) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 19, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-249960-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
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by Kimberly Derting & Shelli R. Johannes ; illustrated by Joelle Murray
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by Kimberly Derting & Shelli R. Johannes ; illustrated by Joelle Murray
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