The latest in the Jump Into Science series is a sure winner for future astronomers and their stargazing parents. Tomecek (Dirt, 2002, etc.) and newcomer Yoshikawa make an excellent duo in rendering concepts understandable to young readers. In simple language, Tomecek presents the major facts about the stars in our sky. For example: why they seem to disappear when the sky is bright, how far away they are, why some are brighter than others, and why it looks like the stars travel around the earth each day. Young readers are given enough to whet their appetites, especially when it comes to the constellations. A flashlight activity at the end helps children understand the idea that the farther away a star is, the dimmer it will appear to us here on Earth. Yoshikawa has personalized the reader’s journey through the sky by providing a guide: a young boy and his canine companion. Although the boy spends a considerable amount of time looking puzzled, and the dog amazed, together with the vivid colors and detailed borders, they draw children in and focus their attention on the concepts. Two drawbacks: the diagram of distances from the earth to several stars is not even close to scale (noted in the text), and the page detailing constellations in the southern hemisphere is printed upside down—a neat idea, but rather annoying to readers. Overall a solid foundation for future astronomy studies. (Nonfiction. 4-8)
Pub Date: March 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-7922-6955-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: National Geographic
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2003
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
A snow-covered countryside may look barren of life, but Stewart’s quiet text takes readers under the blanket of white to “a hidden world” where ladybugs sleep en masse and voles tunnel from tree to tree, where a wood frog freezes safely solid and bluegills and waterboatmen share frigid waters, where a turtle lies buried in mud and “even on the coldest winter days, red-spotted newts dodge and dart, whiz and whirl just below the ice.” Bergum’s equally quiet watercolors spread across the pages in panels that offer cross-sections and magnified details to give readers glimpses of the world beneath the snow. Their precision lends a dignity and beauty even to a sleeping centipede and a barbeled carp. Readers will come away with an appreciation for the adaptability and endurance of the animal world. (Informational picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-56145-493-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2009
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