Grow: Secrets of Our DNA

Davies and Sutton reunite to offer another finely crafted exploration of a fundamental science concept: this time, how and why things grow. Davies's thoughtful prose spirals from simplicity--"All living things grow"--through accessible complexities, showing the range and diversity of growing things, from sunfish and bristlecone pines to human beings. It builds to an engaging explanation of DNA--"The spiral ladder of DNA has thousands and thousands of steps.... The pattern of the steps creates the coded instructions for building living things." Davies notes that while genes make individuals unique, "all life has always been written in one language." Throughout, italicized asides present captivating facts ("Four genes to shape a nose.... At least sixteen genes to give eyes their color"). Sutton's intimate watercolor illustrations riot with rich details, including caterpillars wiggling on cabbages, a loose typology of human noses, and the ribbonlike helices of twining DNA. Ages 5-9. (Sept.)

Copyright 2020 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

K-Gr 4--Big ideas about how living things grow and the role of DNA in the process combine seamlessly with clear, colorful, and sometimes humorous illustrations. The book begins with the statement, "All living things grow." The corresponding illustrations show that plants, animals, and humans do just that. This understanding is further refined by the next observation: "The way living things grow helps them to survive in different places." Complementary illustrations depict plants and animals that grow quickly or slowly depending on their location. As the text moves into a discussion of the role of DNA, readers learn that it contains coded instructions for the growth of living things. There is even an explanation of how the six and a half feet of DNA fits inside the human body. An afterword provides information about how human growth begins with a single cell and then, through the process of mitosis, creates the different kinds of cells human bodies need. VERDICT What a match! Beautifully lucid, engaging sentences blend with detailed, informative illustrations that artfully extend big ideas about growth and the role of DNA. This book deserves a wide audience and multiple readings and rereadings. A wonderful addition to science programs and language arts studies of nonfiction books.--Myra Zarnowski, City Univ. of New York

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

The secrets of DNA, unpacked engagingly and accessibly.
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Davies and Sutton reunite to offer another finely crafted exploration of a fundamental science concept: this time, how and why things grow. Davies's thoughtful prose spirals from simplicity—"All living things grow"—through accessible complexities, showing the range and diversity of growing things, from sunfish and bristlecone pines to human beings...Sutton's intimate watercolor illustrations riot with rich details, including caterpillars wiggling on cabbages, a loose typology of human noses, and the ribbonlike helices of twining DNA.
—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Veteran science author Davies (Many: The Diversity of Life on Earth, rev. 11/17) introduces DNA to a young audience...Sutton's watercolor illustrations are particularly strong when depicting growth, showing that some living things grow quickly while others grow slowly, and some become large while others grow into small flora or fauna.
—The Horn Book