by David Schwartz and Yael Schy Book list Moving beyond camouflaged animals, the new volume from the In the Wild series introduces 10 mysterious objects seen in nature. Each spread begins with a short verse, varying in form from rhymed couplets to concrete poems to haiku. The words are set on a white page facing an excellent color photo of, say, a squirrel nest, an owl pellet, or a blob of spittlebug foam. Opening the gatefold reveals more about the object. The clever verse, curious photos, and guessing-game element will engage children, while the clear explanations and photos of details will enlighten them.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission. School Library Journal K-Gr 4-A nifty combo of poetry (often of the concrete variety), super color photos, scientific information, and a guessing game (complete with whole-page flaps for lifting). For example, a verse printed in wavy lines reads: "We're long and lithe, we wiggle and writhe. Of dead things we dispose./We daily toil to plow the soil, and help stuff decompose!" Lift the flap to reveal a photo of an earthworm depositing another cast on the pile and several paragraphs of information on the vital work done by these beneficial creatures. The punch line of "Cliff Dweller" says, "My home is warm, but kind of smelly/From scraps of fish once in my belly!" The flap showing a hole in a riverbank reveals a belted kingfisher feeding its young in its burrow and a description with a lot of data including the reason for the stinky aroma. Fun as a read-alone or for one-on-one sharing, this tidy package from a talented trio will delight children (and teachers of whole curriculum, too). Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. |
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