Trickiest!: 19 Sneaky Animals

Gr 2-5--Jenkins's new series highlights distinctive qualities of familiar and less common creatures, from the puffer fish's poison (Deadliest!) to the unusual hunting techniques of the stoplight loosejaw (Trickiest!). A single paragraph introduces each animal and its special features, while one or two insets add additional facts. Some of these relate directly to the "tricky" or "dangerous" theme; others add a bit of more general species data. Jenkins's expert cut- and torn-paper illustrations provide high visual appeal. Clean lines, careful shading, and clearly delineated body parts effectively highlight key features such as the spines of the giant silk moth caterpillar (Deadliest!) and the alligator snapping turtle's lurelike tongue (Trickiest!). Many visuals significantly enrich a young reader's learning experience. For example, the verbal description of the western hognose snakes "playing dead" trick is good (Trickiest!), but the side-by-side images of the animal show exactly how its appearance and actions work. Layouts are varied and uncluttered, with either one or two animals per spread. Other useful features include a range map which depicts diet samples and a size comparison graphic. In each title, a closing summary spread looks at the featured animals differently: a table in Deadliest! lists the number of human deaths caused by each, while Trickiest! groups them according to the ways each animal uses its "tricks." VERDICT Top-notch nonfiction with high appeal for browsing and learning.--Steven Engelfried, Wilsonville Public Library, OR