by Diane Lang (Author) Stephanie Laberis (Illustrator)
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PreS-Gr 3--The book opens with a big idea: "All animals on Earth are kin, while not the same outside or in." Various classes of animals are then introduced--birds, amphibians, reptiles, and a few "mixed categories" such as water dweller. Rhyming text is used throughout to define each group and briefly mention its features. For example, the book defines amphibians ("Changing body, smooth, moist skin: that is an amphibian.") and then shows the process of metamorphosis--a tadpole changing into a toad, salamander, frog, or newt. The colorful illustrations work seamlessly with the text to both reinforce the written information and add additional details. Back matter provides more information about each creature covered and gives additional sources for further investigation. Pair this book with Jonathan Tweet's Grandmother Fish: A Child's First Book of Evolution more animal-related science for young learners. VERDICT A clear, inviting introduction to the study of animals. A very good choice for reading aloud and discussing.--Myra Zarnowski, City University of New York
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission."All animals on Earth are kin,/ while not the same outside or in./ Some we stroke with loving hand;/ some we don't yet understand," writes Lang in this uplifting celebration of life that identifies and groups animals according to their taxonomic class. Laberis renders the animal groups in a warm, naturalistic style. One spread features a series of mammal mothers and offspring--a bear and cubs, a cat nursing kittens, and a whale and calf. Other spreads show a small number of animals within their natural habitats, including a spider in its web, a frog and tadpoles in a pond, and an octopus in its den. Lang highlights the biodiversity of her subjects through her vivid verses: "Detrivores, so oft forgotten,/ dine on things both dead and rotten./ Worms and bugs make their dessert of rot into the richest dirt./ Underground or deep in bark.../they're heroes of the damp and dark." One spread features a diverse group of human families ("yes, we're mammals, too!"), emphasizing the interconnectedness of all living things. Ages 3-8. (May)
Copyright 2018 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.