Stewart steps away from popular, big-name animals to take a look at some unusual creatures - and their unique abilities.
Forget about elephants and cheetahs - what do you know about the Etruscan pygmy shrew? The Amau frog? How about a stinky hoatzin or reeking zorilla? Why is an okapi so shy and a bat so lazy? Stewart takes each of these animals, as well as walruses, naked mole rats, western fence lizards, and more and shows how their stinky smells, tiny size, weird diets, and sleep habits help them survive and thrive.
Back matter includes thumbnail illustrations of each animal with additional information on their habits and abilities. The final page has a brief list of sources and a dedication to children who are bullied. Laberis' friendly illustrations add a cartoon flavor to the various creatures while still capturing their unique looks and behavior. Plump gray koalas lounge on tree branches, a naked mole rat tries on a furry coat, and a panicked group of predators flee in humorous shock from the stench of the hoatzin and zorilla. Readers will want to look carefully to discover the okapi blending into the forest, well-hidden from a prowling leopard, and the western fence lizard flies comically off its branch.
Verdict: This cute book not only introduces kids to an unusual set of animals, it also gently points the lesson that sometimes the smallest, weakest, and weirdest of us all have hidden strengths! Recommended for storytime read-alouds and class discussions.
Forget about elephants and cheetahs - what do you know about the Etruscan pygmy shrew? The Amau frog? How about a stinky hoatzin or reeking zorilla? Why is an okapi so shy and a bat so lazy? Stewart takes each of these animals, as well as walruses, naked mole rats, western fence lizards, and more and shows how their stinky smells, tiny size, weird diets, and sleep habits help them survive and thrive.
Back matter includes thumbnail illustrations of each animal with additional information on their habits and abilities. The final page has a brief list of sources and a dedication to children who are bullied. Laberis' friendly illustrations add a cartoon flavor to the various creatures while still capturing their unique looks and behavior. Plump gray koalas lounge on tree branches, a naked mole rat tries on a furry coat, and a panicked group of predators flee in humorous shock from the stench of the hoatzin and zorilla. Readers will want to look carefully to discover the okapi blending into the forest, well-hidden from a prowling leopard, and the western fence lizard flies comically off its branch.
Verdict: This cute book not only introduces kids to an unusual set of animals, it also gently points the lesson that sometimes the smallest, weakest, and weirdest of us all have hidden strengths! Recommended for storytime read-alouds and class discussions.
Revisited: I'm thinking about Stewart's work because I'm working on a nonfiction winter reading program, based on her work with the 5 types of nonfiction. This will definitely be one I promote!
ISBN: 9781561459360; Published 2018 by Peachtree; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Purchased for the library
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