A book for the Everglades and its human allies.
Learn about the Everglades and a passionate life.
A vivid double-page panorama rooted in friendly greens and blues introduces the birth of the Everglades from a stream in Florida. This saw grass–filled place is presented as one of the most biodiverse places in the world, with nine active ecosystems. Some text loosely follows a “House That Jack Built” structure to show relationships among ecosystem elements. Animal inhabitants fly and swim gently across the pages in bright colors and animation-level detail that catches the eye, with minimal shadow or textures. As the human threat to the area is swiftly introduced, so are Marjory and Ernest, two White friends who share an awe for the cypress, birds, panthers, and other dynamic flora and fauna. Together, they lobby for a bill to create Everglades National Park. As they show lawmakers the area from an airship, hope rises but is quickly crushed. In the end, establishing the park is made possible only by heightened public awareness via Marjory’s 1947 book. The frank presentation of the lengthy struggle to protect the ecosystems in the Everglades shares meaningful ideas about persistence and potential payoff for pursuing passions. Little is shared about Douglas in the main text aside from her tireless efforts on behalf of the Everglades and her mission-driven friendship with Ernest. A biographical note helps to flesh her life out a bit more.
A book for the Everglades and its human allies. (further information, advocacy suggestions, bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 4-9)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-8075-8496-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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