Review by Booklist Review
Munro's large-format picture book makes a question-and-answer game out of a series of eggs and the remarkable birds that they produce. Each entry begins with a creamy, spare, two-page spread, with an image of eggs on the left-hand side and facts about the featured species on the right. Above the eggs is a bold question: Can you guess whose eggs these are? The subsequent spread offers a detailed, full-bleed view of the birds in their habitat, with more information about how they fit into their ecosystem and share it with other creatures. Munro's ink illustrations are clear and precise. The compositions of the egg illustrations are suitably simple, while the shifts between up-close and wide-angle perspectives in the habitat spreads give both a specific picture of the birds in question and a sense of their broader environment. Children will find the format engaging and discover more in the intriguing preface, supplementary glossary, and lists of print and Internet resources.--Barthelmess, Thom Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Munro uses a guessing game format to deliver an impressive amount of trivia about nine types of birds. "Can you guess whose eggs these are?" is the repeated refrain that appears above clusters of eggs against a cream-colored backdrop; opposite, a silhouette of the eggs' shape contains several sentences to aid in the guessing ("The eggs, usually two in a clutch, are white, so they can be seen in the dark. These birds are nocturnal"). The answers (in this case, great horned owls) are revealed, after a page turn, in full-bleed scenes that show the birds flying, swimming, and caring for their young in their natural habitats. Straightforward, but packed with information. Ages 5-11. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 4-Which bird can turn its head 270 degrees? Which bird can stay under water for up to 18 minutes? Which bird never drinks? Which bird can run faster than a racehorse? Whose nest weighs more than a car? These and other fascinating facts about familiar and unusual avian species from the great horned owl and the emperor penguin to the cactus wren, ostrich, and bald eagle are presented in a fun and accessible format. A simple illustration of an egg or group of eggs is accompanied by large, bold text posing the question: "Can you guess whose eggs these are?" The facing page includes a brief description of the mystery bird. Turn the page and a detailed spread reveals an expansive colored-ink illustration of the species, its nest, and its offspring along with more information and interesting facts. A white text box at the bottom of the page lists other animals that share the featured bird's habitat, and readers will enjoy searching for them among the intricate illustrations. Useful for classroom units, this inviting and attractive book will captivate young nature lovers.-Rachel Kamin, North Suburban Synagogue Beth El, Highland Park, IL (c) Copyright 2011. 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 Horn Book Review
Munro presents fascinating fact-profiles of nine mostly familiar birds -- owls, hummingbirds, penguins, eagles, and the like -- in an engaging guessing-game format. For each bird, we start with a two-page spread: on one side, a close-up of eggs (not very detailed, and not to scale, but that's not the point of the task); and on the other side, a series of clues about the producers of those eggs. It's thinking about the clues that will help readers to guess each bird, as the clues contain information with which readers might be familiar (e.g., a bird with the same colors and name as a major league baseball team, or the world's tallest, heaviest bird that can't fly). Turn the page to find the answer as well as Munro's colorful, detailed illustrations of each bird's nesting habitats. The art includes portrayals of adult birds, baby birds, the eggs in their nests, and a view of their immediate environments. An egg-shaped text box provides additional information that might not already be known by readers, such as bird behaviors, reproduction, and feeding patterns. A helpful list of the other animals in each illustration encourages even more interactivity. Suggested further reading and a small glossary are appended. danielle j. ford (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
