Heartbeat (Imagine This!)

K-Gr 4--This science title uses poetic verse to describe the heartbeats of several different animals. Each animal, including the pygmy shrew, the giraffe, the octopus, and the python, receives a two-page spread with a lyrical verse listing the number of times the animal's heart beats per minute. Additionally, the text provides two small pieces of information about the spotlighted animal's heart, life, or habits. Over the course of several profiles, this approach feels repetitive rather than informative. The final spread culminates in a verse explanation of the human heart followed by a prose explanation of how the heart works. A labeled illustration of a human heart allows readers to visualize the information. An author's note reveals the inspiration behind the book; resources feature books for children and adults. VERDICT A secondary purchase for most collections, except for libraries with patrons who clamor for poetry or light nonfiction on specific topics.--Brittany Drehobl, Morton Grove P.L., IL

Touring the ticking innards of 12 creatures, ranging from pygmy shrews ("thought to have the world's fastest heart rate") to wood frogs that can still their hearts "for up to eight months," Boyle uses free verse to creatively explore "the unmistakable sound of a tireless muscle." Though the poems occasionally feel overlong, scattered rhymes, onomatopoeia, and line breaks give the lines rhythmic pulse: "In evergreen forests of the great Far North/ live black-masked wood frogs, / whom you might hear chuckling/ (like a quacking duckling)/ in springtime and summer and fall." The conclusion, centered on human hearts, leads to an explanation of "How Your Heart Works" with a diagram. Long's crisp-edged, colorful pictures capture readily identifiable details: suckers on an octopus's tentacles, patterned python scales, and a gorilla's muscled chest. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)

"Heartily inspiring."—Kirkus Reviews