Continuing the story of Animal Dads (1997), artist Steve Jenkins provides more striking paper collages while author Sneed Collard III pens a brief text, which includes some sophisticated biology about asexual and sexual reproduction in animals. Several unusual forms of asexual reproduction are included, for example: budding, splitting, breaking, and stacking. Sexual reproduction begins with a discussion of eggs and sperm, then shows some of the techniques animals use to attract a mate: sporting bright colors, fighting, flashing, and nest-building. The final section describes embryos developing in eggs and in the mother's womb. Usually the author provides a line of text in large type for younger readers, which is expanded in a paragraph in small type appearing elsewhere on the page. Unlike with Animal Dads, where younger children could read the illustrations, emerging readers will have more trouble here. The publishers recommend ages four through eight, but most sections would be more useful for middle-grade students, as the picture-book format will discourage browsing. Paper collages are handsome, though the layout—which poses an animal on every page, each on a different colored background, and none made to scale—is distracting. For example, the bower bird is shown page left, building his next; while page right shows two enormous night-lit fireflies, each as large as the bird. The author concludes with a glossary of science terms. Though interesting, this not as successful as past collaborations. (Nonfiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: April 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-395-95317-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2000
The author of Babe, the Gallant Pig (1985) offers another winner with this tale of a bright pig and her canny young keeper “training” a spoiled princess. When Princess Penelope demands a pig for her eighth birthday, her over-indulgent father requires every pig keeper in the country to assemble with a likely porcine candidate. The princess settles on Lollipop, who turns out to be the sole possession of penniless orphan Johnny Skinner. As only Johnny can get Lollipop to sit, roll over, or poop outdoors, soon lad and pig are comfortably ensconced together in a royal stall—at least until the pig can be persuaded to respond to the Princess’s commands. It’s only the beginning of a meteoric rise for Johnny, and for Lollipop too, as the two conspire to teach the princess civilized manners, and end up great favorites of the entire royal family. Barton (Rattletrap Car, p. 504, etc.) captures Penelope’s fuming, bratty character perfectly in a generous array of line drawings, and gives Lollipop an expression of affectionate amusement that will win over readers as effortlessly as it wins over the princess and her parents. Move over, Wilbur. (Fiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: June 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-7636-1269-3
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2001
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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