A gentle look deep inside.
An attractive primer about the human microbiome.
The nature metaphor begins with the “river” flowing—one’s intestine. This river has tight “folds and turns,” but if it were stretched out “it would be ten times as tall as you are!” It feeds and supports the “garden in your belly.” Tiny, gleeful, googly-eyed microorganisms fill the page. But as one particularly astute microbe asks, “Where does your garden come from?” D’yans explains how humans collect new microbes with everything they touch or eat. The blobby, kaleidoscopic creatures with wide, inviting eyes appear sweet and safe. Then they settle in to become a garden, blooming and growing (and yes, even sleeping). D’yans stresses the importance of having a variety in one’s garden—the microbes all have different shapes and hues, swaying amid the intestinal river. The actual job of a microbe is tricky to explain: “Your garden microorganisms put out fires and take the garbage out. Sometimes they have adventures and strange encounters. / They can even influence your thoughts and feelings.” D’yans encourages healthy habits: exercise, fresh air, water, and healthy foods to keep one’s garden strong. If bad microbes take over, the river becomes polluted—sickly greens and purples bubble up in the illustrations, and the microbes turn darker with large teeth and pointed features. Further exploration into the microbiome is appended. (This book was reviewed digitally with 8.875-by-21.25-inch double-page spreads viewed at 22.5% of actual size.)
A gentle look deep inside. (glossary, facts) (Informational picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5415-7840-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Millbrook/Lerner
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
Adults looking for an easy entry into this subject will not be disappointed.
This book presents a simplified explanation of the role the atmosphere plays in controlling climate.
The authors present a planet as a ball and its atmosphere as a blanket that envelops the ball. If the blanket is thick, the planet will be hot, as is the case for Venus. If the blanket is thin, the planet is cold, as with Mars. Planet Earth has a blanket that traps “just the right amount of heat.” The authors explain trees, animals, and oceans are part of what makes Earth’s atmosphere “just right.” “But…Uh-oh! People on Earth are changing the blanket!” The book goes on to explain how some human activities are sending “greenhouse gases” into the atmosphere, thus “making the blanket heavier and thicker” and “making Earth feel unwell.” In the case of a planet feeling unwell, what would the symptoms be? Sea-level rises that lead to erosion, flooding, and island loss, along with extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, blizzards, and wildfires. Ending on a constructive note, the authors name a few of the remedies to “help our Earth before it’s too late!” By using the blanket analogy, alongside simple and clear illustrations, this otherwise complex topic becomes very accessible to young children, though caregivers will need to help with the specialized vocabulary.
Adults looking for an easy entry into this subject will not be disappointed. (Board book. 3-4)Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4926-8082-6
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Sourcebooks eXplore
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
An impressive, thoughtful collaboration.
A cast of young, cartoon animals in children’s clothes follow the narrator’s directions about how to “relax, breathe, and listen.”
The title page shows a pig, an elephant, a rabbit, a bear, and a cat—all in school attire, including brightly colored backpacks—heading toward a large set of stairs. Behind them is an urban skyline, and around them are the flora and fauna of a park. The entire text is composed of simple instructions for relaxation, beginning with the suggestion that readers sit down and clench, then relax, “every part of your body.” After the cat follows these commands, the perfect, humorous choice to illustrate noticing the breath is the elephant. The bunny, piglet, and bear show proper placement of paws for feeling breaths. Throughout, the text is straightforward, with a few gentle rhymes. As the animals use visualization, background scenes move from the classroom to an idyllic beach. A jar of glitter is used to help the animals imagine their thoughts settling down. The text moves on to helping children express different emotions with their bodies, always affirming the importance of breathing and, later, listening. A jewel-toned palette, sweet animal faces, and soothing landscapes—combined with a text infused with care—ensure that a child or adult can pick up any part of this book to take a needed break from stress.
An impressive, thoughtful collaboration. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-399-18661-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: June 4, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2017
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