Written by a doctor, this non-fiction picture book explains how the brain functions in a way that a young child can understand. Five children, with diWritten by a doctor, this non-fiction picture book explains how the brain functions in a way that a young child can understand. Five children, with different genders and skin colors, help demonstrate thoughts, memories and activities powered by the brain. Broadly colored renderings of the brain and body show how the cerebrum has different lobes for different thoughts and feelings and how nerves carry messages throughout the body. The kids illustrate voluntary activities, like walking and saying hi to a friend, and involuntary activities, like keeping one’s balance and digesting one’s food.
The language is simplified but clear and understandable. In several of the brain illustrations there are several levels of text that caregivers can use according the age of the listener. The artful illustrations, which use a digital printmaking style, work nicely at showing both fanciful thoughts and anatomical diagrams. A section at the end offers simple advice for keeping our brains healthy. This is a useful book for explaining the brain for the youngest children.
The book does not explain how some people’s brains are different, causing them to move, behave or express themselves differently....more
This absorbing picture book biography tells the story of a woman, with no special mathematical training, who solves an ages-old mathematical puzzle. IThis absorbing picture book biography tells the story of a woman, with no special mathematical training, who solves an ages-old mathematical puzzle. It was so interesting how the author explains the problem of tessellating tiles as being at the intersection of art and geometry, and how it is just the work of fitting shapes together without gaps. Marjorie Rice, with five children and very little free time, amused herself by reading Scientific American magazine. In 1975, there was an article about solving the “problem of pentagons,� and Marjorie set to work trying to solve it. When she sent her work off to the article’s author, he couldn’t understand her work. But when mathematician Professor Doris Schattschneider saw it, she saw “a tessellating shape that no human eyes had ever seen before…�
I love that Price’s discovery is an example of women scientists supporting one another, as opposed to stealing another’s work (as in the case of Rosalind Franklin). Beautiful, detailed digital artwork explains the text and brings Marjorie’s work and world to life. Observant readers will notice a ginger cat following Marjorie on all of her geometric quests, and there are many examples of differently shaped tessellating shapes from history shown in the book’s pages. The text excels at explaining a complicated geometric idea in a way that early grade students and interested adults can understand and be inspired by. Why, if Marjorie Price can do it, why can’t I? Budding young mathematicians can get to work. Extensive back matter, including an author’s note, supporting facts about “The Story of Five,� resources, activities and a bibliography, add much to understanding Marjorie Price’s quest to solve a problem in geometry.
Only thing I would have like is that it would have been nice to see the author lend her considerable talents to defining the golden rectangle for the target audience....more
I remember being asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I always said the same thing: a neuroscientist. It was a job I knew nothing about but I remember being asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, and I always said the same thing: a neuroscientist. It was a job I knew nothing about but sounded cool. If I had read a book like Work, I could have imagined many other fascinating jobs outside the doctor/lawyer/scientist box. This oversized book explains assorted interesting jobs that kids will love learning about: a prosthetics maker in London, England; a bagel maker in Montreal, Canada; a research assistant at the Field Museum in Chicago, Illinois; a ferry captain in Germany. Real people doing real jobs all over the world explain what they do and why. Some are exciting, some are quiet. Some are indoor jobs and some are outdoor jobs.
Women and men of different races and abilities are depicted doing their jobs: much of the artwork is “inspired by photographs,� and the mixed media portraits and surrounding images are inviting and feel like they capture the essence of the work. I recognized one person: Ayesha Roscoe is profiled as an NPR radio host in Washington, DC. And, at the end, the author and illustrator of the book get their own profiles. Kids interested in their techniques will be able to use sample interview questions to gather information about jobs on their own. There’s a table of contents and a glossary featuring technical terms and other longer words that appear in bold in the text.
A good read aloud for 5-8 year olds who enjoy non fiction. Kids who are ready to move on from Kellen Hatanaka’s Work: An Occupational ABC or Richard Scarry’s Richard Scarry’s What Do People Do All Day? will find much to inspire them....more
It pays to be prepared for a hike, and one way is to read up on it. Basic advice on preparing for a hike, what to pack, getting food ready and how to It pays to be prepared for a hike, and one way is to read up on it. Basic advice on preparing for a hike, what to pack, getting food ready and how to treat injuries is covered in this book. Kids will learn the appropriate clothing and footwear, how important water is, and even a bit about navigation, although the author wisely defaults to asking a parent for a lot of important decisions. I was glad to see that caution is advised when finding food in the wild, especially with mushrooms. Having respect for nature is emphasized as well.
Text in short paragraphs and graphic bubbles is appropriate for early graders. The digital art shows a biracial family. Kids will be entertained seeing that some of the mistakes made by first time hikers are sometimes by the parents. Readers are encouraged to find these mistakes in the illustrations.
If you’re a kid going on your first hike or a parent trying to figure out the best way for a new hiker to have a good experience, you might want to pick up this book.
I thought that the digital art was flat and unappealing. A short bit about where to pee/poop missed an opportunity for this demographic’s favorite subject. There are basic guidelines about concealing your pee/poop that could have been added. And there are no sources or further reading....more
Ten animals and what they eat are covered in this cheerfully illustrated non fiction book for young children. Each animal gets two full two-page spreaTen animals and what they eat are covered in this cheerfully illustrated non fiction book for young children. Each animal gets two full two-page spreads. The first gives the animal’s “menu� � main course, sides, and drinks, in descriptive labels with pictures, and a map of the world showing where it lives. The second spread is more expository, explaining how the animal finds its food, and interesting facts about their eating habits, as well as a blurb about their size. For instance, meerkats can eat scorpions as they are immune to the venom; great white sharks eat rotting flesh.
I like how the information is laid out. Pages are not too cluttered with facts, and the cartoony but realistic illustrations set the tone of the animal’s habitat with color and patterns, and images that show the food. The animals shown are likely to be familiar and interesting to the target audience such as koalas, grizzly bears and cobras. The book offers an fun entry into the study of the natural world � every living thing has to eat. There’s a table of contents, a glossary of terms and an index.
What could have been improved: The small map inserts that show where the animals live do not identify the area by country. Young readers are unlikely to be able to identify the continent or country by shape. There are no sources listed....more
This attractive book is written by a wildlife photographer. Her trip to the Makgadikadi Pan in Botswana to observe meerkats is described in diary formThis attractive book is written by a wildlife photographer. Her trip to the Makgadikadi Pan in Botswana to observe meerkats is described in diary form. Over twelve days, she documents a mob, gradually getting the animals used to her presence. She and her companions (a zoologist assistant, a native meerkat habituator and a native naturalist guide) name the meerkats and marvel as the animals become more and more relaxed in their presence. She describes how the matriarch finds food for her five babies and their big brother, who is often the babies� guardian. Readers will see how meerkats communicate with each other about predators, using special chirps, how they care for their young communally, and how they gather food.
The color photos are crystal clear and many are close-ups. They’re accompanied by narrative diary entries and descriptive captions for the photographs. The photos appear to be taped to the page, complementing the diary idea. The language is conversational and very accessible, while communicating lots of facts. The author’s fascination with meerkats is palpable, and readers will gain a sense of wonder and curiosity about these small critters. Other African animals are also photographed: Cape ground squirrels, an oryx, a mongoose, an eagle, a fork-tailed drongo bird, zebras, and a Cape porcupine. Young animal lovers will find lots to love in this intimate look at meerkats.
Short biographies of Motto, the meerkat habituator and Villa, the naturalist guide appear at the end. There’s also a short glossary of terms....more
This attractive book compiles profiles of 101 popular and lesser known dogs out of the three thousand plus breeds in the world. Beginning with basics This attractive book compiles profiles of 101 popular and lesser known dogs out of the three thousand plus breeds in the world. Beginning with basics such as a brief history of domestication, groups by breed standards and physiognomy, the book then goes on to show one dog per page, with random, sometimes humorous, pairings per spread. There is a strong emphasis on personality, with comments on the prompt, “Likely to say� or “Unlikely to say� for each dog. For instance, the Pharaoh Hound is unlikely to say “I don’t want to play, thank you� and the Basenji is likely to say “I wonder what those shoes would taste like.� Readers will giggle but still get an accurate feel for that’s dog’s proclivities. There are also more objective facts, such as life expectancy, height, trainability, plus grooming and exercise needs.
The artwork for the book is outstanding. Elegant fine lines drawn directly on paint create the illusion of linocuts. A limited palette of black, white and red with a few colored accents keeps the focus on the dogs. Their expressions are beautifully doglike, with playful accoutrements such as hats or scarves to show their personalities. Familiar breeds such as Labrador retrievers and poodles are joined by lesser known dogs such as the Pumi, a small hunting dog from Hungary, and the Barbet, a medium size retriever from France.
Engaging language will appeal to committed dog lovers as well as those looking for new information. With a ribbon bookmark, and table of contents and index, the book is an appealing source for kids through adults.
(If there had been sources listed, it would have been perfect.)...more
A young man moves to a shack in the Colorado mountains. He enjoys the wilderness but want something to fill the time. The man decides to measure when A young man moves to a shack in the Colorado mountains. He enjoys the wilderness but want something to fill the time. The man decides to measure when the snowfall begins each year, when the wildflowers blossom, when the animals come out of hibernation, and more. The pile of notebooks where he keeps his measurements grows and grows over more than fifty years. When he shares the information he has collected with a scientist, the scientist is amazed. The old man has proved that the earth is getting warmer. And he is still measuring.
The mother and son team of Winters once again collaborates on a stellar book that highlights an important story. The lyrical description of a man in the wilderness is the true story of billy barr (“he doesn’t capitalize the first letters of his name�). Short poetic text by Jonah Winter and Jeannette Winter’s gorgeous signature painted folksy artwork complement each other well. I especially like her page showing barr’s aging over the decades. This is an important book to share to explain climate change.
Merged review:
A young man moves to a shack in the Colorado mountains. He enjoys the wilderness but want something to fill the time. The man decides to measure when the snowfall begins each year, when the wildflowers blossom, when the animals come out of hibernation, and more. The pile of notebooks where he keeps his measurements grows and grows over more than fifty years. When he shares the information he has collected with a scientist, the scientist is amazed. The old man has proved that the earth is getting warmer. And he is still measuring.
The mother and son team of Winters once again collaborates on a stellar book that highlights an important story. The lyrical description of a man in the wilderness is the true story of billy barr (“he doesn’t capitalize the first letters of his name�). Short poetic text by Jonah Winter and Jeannette Winter’s gorgeous signature painted folksy artwork complement each other well. I especially like her page showing barr’s aging over the decades. This is an important book to share to explain climate change....more
This handsome book explains, by example, how long many things take in life and nature. The author asks the reader to practice patience to enjoy the “iThis handsome book explains, by example, how long many things take in life and nature. The author asks the reader to practice patience to enjoy the “important things.�
Each spread contains a stated unit of time on the left, such as one minute, one hour, two weeks or seventy years, and an overview of the time progression on the right. The right side of the spread has a progression of images to show how the time progresses for the topic. Finally, each topic gets another two-page spread with more information about the topic. This allows families to get an overview or a deep dive. For instance, “In One Month� shows a 12-image progression of the lunar cycle, and the next spread contains the names of the moon phases along with illustrations of children engaging in the study of the moon. There’s a table of contents, an index and further sources in this thoughtful book which could prompt further study.
Lovingly created illustrations are the star in the book. The softly colored artwork, pencil with digital color, shows diverse small children engaged in thoughtful examination of the human body, animals, astronomy, plants and more. Families will be especially interested in the nine month of a baby’s gestation, the sixty years it takes for a patch of rain forest to grow, and the one hundred years of a Galápagos tortoise’s life cycle.
The title points to a guide to taking one’s time, but families won’t find it here. It’s more a primer on understanding the elapse of time....more
For families looking for more than just a manual on dog rearing, this delightful compendium of facts and stories is The author begins with her curios For families looking for more than just a manual on dog rearing, this delightful compendium of facts and stories is The author begins with her curiosity about her own pup, and goes on to explore many topics � the evolution of dogs, differences between breeds, doggy senses and anatomy, how to read their tails, ears, and sounds, and much more. I really like the format: each chapter comprises a two-page spread of this large format book, with background, inset illustrations and accompanying text discussing various aspects of the subject. For instance, in the chapter “Going to Extremes,� there’s a graph with pictures of seven dogs, from a 5-8� Chihuahua to a 30-32� Irish wolfhound, and information relating size to life span. There’s a story about the biggest Great Dane ever measured (40.5�), how fast sight dogs can run (44+ mph), which dogs are thought to be the most intelligent, and brief bios of a couple of fantastically old dogs.
The information is presented in a nicely conversational style which is engaging and factual without being overbearing. The appealing and affectionate artwork is detailed enough to show breed differences and dog age, while capturing the personality of individual dogs. There’s also a nice representation of diversity in the humans. I especially enjoyed the three pages of dog breeds on the front and back endpapers. The book has a table of contents, an index of breeds and a glossary of terms. I can imagine reading a chapter or two aloud at bedtime to dog-loving or curious kids, and older readers will enjoy looking up their favorite breeds and topics, from history to behavior.
I only wish their were a list of sources. A few facts needed backup, in my mind. Which study concluded that dogs prefer reggae and soft rock? And how did scientists determine that dogs align their bodies to earth’s north-south or south-north magnetic fields when they poop?...more
This insightful look at the artist Georgia O’Keefe shows how she gained inspiration from the plants she grew in her garden. Incorporating quotes from This insightful look at the artist Georgia O’Keefe shows how she gained inspiration from the plants she grew in her garden. Incorporating quotes from the artist, the book explains her desire to make city dwellers slow down and really look at the parts of a flower, as if it had become their world for a moment. When she moved to New Mexico, growing her own flowers, as well as vegetables and fruit trees, O’Keefe also found inspiration in the rocks, skulls and bones that she gathered in the desert. There, she loved to invite friends to meals composed of food she grew herself, and the book even contains a recipe for Pecan Butterballs that she would bake and serve.
Short sentences of lyrical text describe O’Keefe’s life and home and her inspirations, and the deep matte colors of the artwork shows her in action observing, collecting, planting, and painting. The book really gives the reader a feel for how important these activities were to her artistic process, and can invite reflection on what spurs one’s own creativity. In addition to the recipe, the back matter adds information on O’Keefe’s life and sustainable gardening practices and includes a list of sources....more
A child decides to write about the world’s first female president, and goes over to the home of Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, the president of Iceland for 16A child decides to write about the world’s first female president, and goes over to the home of Vigdís Finnbogadóttir, the president of Iceland for 16 years. The former president welcomes the child in with tea and cookies, and shows them around the house, while the child records Vigdís’s life story in a sketch book. The conversation between adult and child is recorded in picture book captions and speech bubbles in this picture book/graphic novel hybrid. It may sound quirky, and it is, but it works.
For the target audience, lots of relevant information comes across � Vigdís really was the first elected female president of a country (1980-1996), as well as the first single woman in adopt a child in Iceland. Her varied career � French teacher on television, tour guide, theatre goer and manager � gave her a way with people. She was in the right place in the right time for a woman to get into politics, although she only considered it after many women and men asked her to run. It’s an interesting climb to power!
The hybrid design of black and white and color cartoon artwork and hand-lettering is out of the mainstream of American picture book biographies, but I maintain that it’s a fun and appealing read for an early grade kid who enjoys non-fiction, especially on women in politics. For sources, the author spoke with Vigdís and her daughter Ástrídur....more
Engaging and informative, this updated title keeps its original format and illustrations. The easy to read text has plenty of white space and a large Engaging and informative, this updated title keeps its original format and illustrations. The easy to read text has plenty of white space and a large font which are used to explain the evolution of horses, and their biology, behavior and care. New information has been added on horses� earliest ancestors and some new horse breeds. Text has two levels so that caregivers can modify the information based on the age group. Unframed panels and full page spreads get a lot of information in. Gibbons� signature brightly colored drawn cartoons show different horse breeds and gaits. Lots of related terms are included.
Gibbons� work traditionally has skewed white, and I would have thought artwork could have been modified in this new edition to reflect more racial diversity, but it wasn’t. No sources are given....more
Engaging and informative, this updated title keeps its original format and illustrations. The easy to read text has plenty of white space and a large Engaging and informative, this updated title keeps its original format and illustrations. The easy to read text has plenty of white space and a large font which are used to explain how tornadoes are formed and classified, and other information that weather disaster afficionados care about. New information is included about supercell formation and Tornado Ally. I liked that each category in the Fujita Tornado Scale gets a spread that shows the increasing destruction of that type. Unframed panels and full page spreads get a lot of information in. Gibbons� signature brightly colored drawn cartoons are an appealing way to deliver scary information.
Gibbons� work traditionally has skewed white, and I would have thought artwork could have been modified in this new edition to reflect more racial diversity, but it wasn’t. No sources are given....more
Engaging and informative, this updated title keeps its original format and illustrations. The easy to read text has a large font which is used to explEngaging and informative, this updated title keeps its original format and illustrations. The easy to read text has a large font which is used to explain the different parts of fruits and how they are grown, harvested and eaten. Text has two levels so that caregivers can modify the information based on the age group. Unframed panels and full page spreads get a lot of information in. Gibbons� signature brightly colored drawn cartoons show familiar foods that kids will recognize. Two websites are given for further reading.
Gibbons� work traditionally has skewed white, and I would have thought artwork could have been modified in this new edition to reflect more racial diversity, but it wasn’t. I feel that this book crams too much information onto each page, making some pages too busy....more
Engaging and informative, this updated title keeps its original format and illustrations. The easy to read text has plenty of white space and a large Engaging and informative, this updated title keeps its original format and illustrations. The easy to read text has plenty of white space and a large font which are used to explain the eight groups of vegetables, and how they are grown, harvested and eaten. Text has two levels so that caregivers can modify the information based on the age group. Unframed panels and full page spreads get a lot of information in. Gibbons� signature brightly colored drawn cartoons show familiar foods that kids will recognize.
Gibbons� work traditionally has skewed white, and I would have thought artwork could have been modified in this new edition to reflect more racial diversity, but it wasn’t. No sources are given....more
Several habitats from around the world are profiled in this attractive picture book. The Borneo Rainforest, the Namib Desert, the ocean around AustralSeveral habitats from around the world are profiled in this attractive picture book. The Borneo Rainforest, the Namib Desert, the ocean around Australia, Germany’s ancient Black Forest, the Andes Mountains, and the natural warm water springs of Florida are presented in spreads of graduated flaps which show different views above, below and around the area.
Each habitat’s denizens are profiled, from trees and plants, to insects, birds and other animals, and fish and even the lowly tardigrade. Precious, delicate collage-like illustrations and brief text describes the habitat and the animals pictured. I feel that this book is best enjoyed as a browsable text between caregiver and an animal-loving child. The child will enjoy turning the flaps and pointing, and the adult can identify most of the animals.
The text, although brief, is written at a level that seems to target an older child than the illustrations indicate. There are no sources listed....more
A young girl and her dog are off to explore the Amazon rain forest. She’s equipped with a backpack and her trusty flashlight. Readers of this book getA young girl and her dog are off to explore the Amazon rain forest. She’s equipped with a backpack and her trusty flashlight. Readers of this book get a small flashlight that emits UV light to follow along. Clara finds birds, monkeys, insects, and all sorts of plants. Readers will get a hint of the incredible diversity and fascinating nature of the Amazon rainforest habitat. Short descriptions of her finds are accompanied by modest cartoon artwork � not as detailed as a some, but fine for a younger audience. When you focus the flashlight on the pages and even the endpapers, additional creatures are illuminated in delicate red outline. This should be a fun draw to settling in for bedtime!...more
This is a fantastic and hilarious memoir of growing up in a large Mexican American family. It centers around the family road trip to Mexico that the wThis is a fantastic and hilarious memoir of growing up in a large Mexican American family. It centers around the family road trip to Mexico that the whole family (all 11 of them!) takes together to bring Abuelito home to the states with them. Quirks of the family, dynamics between Mexican- and American-born kids, learning about Mexican culture of the time - all from the viewpoint of a middle school comics-loving kid. I hope Martin writes more books!...more
This attractive book introduces the science of wind. Lilting, varied poems in many forms by the two authors present an expressive description of diffeThis attractive book introduces the science of wind. Lilting, varied poems in many forms by the two authors present an expressive description of different kinds of wind. There are familiar words like squall and jet stream, with many other words for winds in different places around the world, such as oroshi, sudestada, willy-willy, and ghibli. It was fun to learn about these winds and how they originate. Each spread has a poem about the wind, with a few lines of prose at the bottom that cover the science of that particular wind. The background illustration shows the wind pattern with swirling lines over a view of the place where that kind of wind occurs.
The assured digital art nicely complements the text. For instance for “Moani,� the winds of Hawaii are described, and the artwork has beautiful teal and fuschia views of flowers, ocean and palm trees. Kids with diverse skin colors are shown, as well as the habitat of each wind’s place. Words in bold appear in a glossary at the end and there’s a world map showing the geographic locations of each wind mentioned in the book. A section on the poetry talks a little about the varying poetic forms used in the book, such as haiku, sonnet and copla.
Although in a picture picture format, this book is at the intersection of science and art and is best suited for elementary school students. It could be an exercise in translating scientific knowledge into poetry.
The poems, although lovely, don’t advance much understanding of the concepts discussed in the nonfiction prose. And the nonfiction prose is not quite enough explanation to teach the concept....more
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