Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* The duo behind Birdsongs (2007) teams up again in this winning introduction to the patterns and shapes found in the natural world. From the dazzling eyes of the male peacock's feathers to the hexagonal chambers of the bee's hive, Franco's spirited poems explore the many forms and functions of nature's geometry. Verses tuck neatly into each subject's double-page spread or cleverly echo its shape, mimicking the spiral lines of a snail's shell or the rounded exterior of a puffer fish, and an appending section explains the scientific facts behind each poem. Jenkins' masterful collage work, which renders everything from the transparency of dew drops on a spider web to the soft gray fur of a deer mouse, will have readers impulsively reaching out to feel the tactile appearance of the shaped and textured papers. The perfect precursor to a science unit or a simple walk in the park. Further information on each of the animals is appended.--McKulski, Kristen Copyright 2008 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Starred Review. The pair behind Birdsongs tackles another science topic--geometry in the animal world. Whether addressing hexagonal beehive cells or a snail's spiral shell, brisk rhymes draw attention to nature's math, as in this description of moth wings' symmetry: Notice the colors/ and stunning 'eyes,'/ perfectly matched/ on either side. The layout of text frequently echoes the subject under discussion, e.g., words circle around the sphere of an inflated puffer fish or grow larger and bolder when pointing out, among peacock pairs, the male's the one with all the flair. Jenkins's cut-paper collages are every bit as stunning here as in his previous books. Striking color combinations make the illustrations pop. This inviting book is bound to spark more careful observation of the shapes and colors in the reader's natural world. Ages 3-7. (Aug.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-This poetry picture book about patterns in nature has some spreads on which rhymes sing and artwork thrills-and others that disappoint. The peacock page delights readers with a Jenkins collage at his feathery best and these clever lines: "If you should meet a peacock pair,/the male's the one with all the flair./The female, who is rather plain,/is dazzled by his patterned train." In the spread about symmetry in moths' wing patterns, the insects' furry bodies seem to pop from the paper, but the text's attempt to rhyme "eyes" with "side" and "spring" with "wings" doesn't measure up. A clever spiral poem on the topshell snail is accompanied by a surprisingly flat and listless illustration. Awkward scanning in the rhymes throughout will make the book especially hard to read aloud without practice. Jarring in a book that is scientific in tone despite its poetic format is the statement that sea stars "grow back an arm/if they get into scrapes,/for they take such great pride/in their bright, starry shapes." One or two simple facts about the habits of each animal are included in the end matter. For an excellent poetic book about nature by this duo, try Birdsongs (S & S, 2007).-Ellen Heath, Easton Area Public Library, Easton, PA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Rhymes and stunning illustrations convey the patterns and shapes of birds, insects, spiders, a snail and one mammal (a mouse). Franco's verses are lively, and Jenkins's hand-made paper illustrations often highlight the shapes through the pictures and through the placement of text, as in the case of the circular shape of the puffer fish, the wedge of the geese and the spiral of the snail. Some of the words (e.g., kaleidoscopic, profound) will require elucidation for the intended audience, and the rhyming format limits the information that can be conveyed, although a section with additional background on each animal is appended. Despite the sketchiness of the information (the pattern or shape the ants make--is it a straight line?--is not clear, for example), this is a lovely book that will work well as a read-aloud, connect with the concepts of shapes and patterns that are frequently part of early childhood curriculum and provide a springboard for discussion. (Informational picture book/poetry. 4-8) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
