Splendiferous!
An enchanting exploration of everyday miracles.
Young readers have long delighted in anthologies of natural extremes—but what if they found equal enjoyment in processes slightly more sluggish but no less majestic? Somewhere between a picture book and a comics compendium, this immaculately illustrated tome intended for elementary-age naturalists is sure to charm observers outside that audience as well. Inside, the authors suspend 50 “moments” from the natural world—from falling meteors to metamorphosis in frogs and butterflies, cloud formation to salmon spawning—in time, allowing readers to review each occasion at their leisure. In each section, several paragraphs of preamble provide a bit of context for the examined event; image-based sequential storytelling then breaks the occurrence down into constituent steps. Williams’ concise, melodic captions impart essential information in easy-to-digest portions: chewier than mere tidbits but nothing that would overwhelm one’s appetite. The feast is found in Hartas’ magical, delicate illustrations, which balance steadfast scientific accuracy with the slightest possible anthropomorphic exaggerations. All told, the format appropriately encourages gradual consumption: This is not a single-sitting read! Throughout, the book urges readers to get out, slow down, and take the world in; at the end, it even provides sample practices for engaged observation. A list of further reading presents a curated list of conservation- and mindfulness-related nonprofits and organizations while a selected bibliography directs readers hoping to take a deeper dive into a topic of interest. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9.2-by-23-inch double-page spreads viewed at 55% of actual size.)
Splendiferous! (Informational picture book. 4-12)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4197-4838-7
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Magic Cat
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
Erupt into applause for this picture book of the first magma-tude.
A deceptively simple, visually appealing, comprehensive explanation of volcanoes.
Gibbons packs an impressive number of facts into this browsable nonfiction picture book. The text begins with the awe of a volcanic eruption: “The ground begins to rumble…ash, hot lava and rock, and gases shoot up into the air.” Diagrams of the Earth’s structural layers—inner and outer core, mantle, and crust—undergird a discussion about why volcanoes occur. Simple maps of the Earth’s seven major tectonic plates show where volcanoes are likeliest to develop. Other spreads with bright, clearly labeled illustrations cover intriguing subtopics: four types of volcanoes and how they erupt; underwater volcanoes; well-known volcanoes and historic volcanic eruptions around the world; how to be safe in the vicinity of a volcano; and the work of scientists studying volcanoes and helping to predict eruptions. A page of eight facts about volcanoes wraps things up. The straightforward, concise prose will be easy for young readers to follow. As always, Gibbons manages to present a great deal of information in a compact form.
Erupt into applause for this picture book of the first magma-tude. (Nonfiction picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: Jan. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4569-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2021
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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