FIND OUT ABOUT ANIMAL CAMOUFLAGE

Why do some animals do such a good job of blending in with their surroundings?

Jenkins, who has introduced many animal topics to children, this time tackles animals who hide in plain sight, whether to avoid predators or to catch their own prey. While many of the highlighted animals (all named) and their camouflage tricks will not be a surprise to adults sharing the book with kids, this is a good first look at the concept and will have children seeing nature in new ways. Very simple sentences in a larger font share the basic idea of camouflage, while paragraphs in a smaller font provide more information, mostly about specific animals. Jenkins starts with animals that look like leaves, twigs, sticks, flowers, and tree stumps, then branches out to focus on three habitats—the desert, the ocean, and snowy regions—where animals may share clever ways of staying hidden. A final spread introduces animals that don’t try to conceal themselves at all but flaunt their looks as a sign that they are poisonous or venomous. McGuinness’ artwork does the job of showing how several of these animals blend in to their environments, although, perhaps to suit her audience, many of them are cutesy or sport smiles. Aside from generic habitats, no geographic regions are mentioned.

A basic overview of a common phenomenon to share with the youngest children.