Terrific Tongues!

PreS-Gr 3--An expressive monkey acts as a guide to the animal kingdom's most interesting tongues. Liu chooses the monkey's own mouth to illustrate, literally, the many things a tongue is similar to--straw, sword, nose, and mop. In each instance, Gianferrari's simple analogy appears in large font with a humorous illustration. "If you had a tongue like a sword, you might be a..." In the first example, the monkey's tongue is actually a sword as he dukes it out with a fencer. On the following page, we discover the answer, "Woodpecker!" and see a rendering of a woodpecker in its natural habitat, its long pointed tongue stabbing underneath the bark of a tree. A short paragraph explaining the workings of the animal's tongue is embedded within the illustration. Readers will enjoy finding the monkey in each habitat, too. Eleven creatures are featured in similar fashion. Back matter offers greater detail and also explains the workings of the human tongue. The appealing cover and bright, cheery illustrations will capture the attention of even casual browsers. VERDICT A fine addition to early nonfiction collections.--Lisa Taylor, Florida State College, Jacksonville

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Perfect for a group storytime, this is a useful addition to the wonders-of-animals shelf." - Kirkus Reviews

"An expressive monkey acts as a guide to the animal kingdom's most interesting tongues...Back matter offers greater detail and also explains the workings of the human tongue. The appealing cover and bright, cheery illustrations will capture the attention of even casual browsers. A fine addition to early nonfiction collections." -School Library Journal

"This fascinating and whimsical nonfiction picture book uses humorous comparisons and playful artwork to teach children the unusual ways that a variety of animals...use their tongues...Through debut illustrator Jia Liu's bright, playful collage artwork, readers can imagine what it would be like to have a tongue like a sword, or straw, or party blower, among many other silly and illuminating comparisons. The back matter expands on each animal tongue's unique abilities and includes information about other fun tongues, too." - School Library Connection