Review by Booklist Review
Did you know that a firefly's light comes in different colors like . . . green, yellow, or . . . red? This title is jam-packed with similarly awesome animal facts, from the very obvious to the obscure. The authors skillfully execute transitions between each animal section to help beginning readers contextualize and categorize new information. After discussing a kangaroo's ability to hop, for example, the following section begins, a rabbit is another animal that hops. Likewise, the use of interrogative language, bold diction, and bright, comical illustrations will keep readers engaged. Direct addresses to the young audience (Did you know? Can you do that?), keeps kids involved and asking questions. In the end, the book comes full circle: Unlike hippos . . . blue whales sure can swim! An entertaining read for both browsing and curricular tie-ins, this closes with a page of more fun facts that may encourage further investigation.--Miller, Annie Copyright 2014 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Animal-based humor and goofy cartoons with the feel of 1950s animation fill the pages of this entertaining and lightly informational book. Bug-eyed turquoise jellyfish with bean-shaped heads and squiggly arms (some wear glasses, hair bows, and hats) "float with the currents of the ocean," while on the opposite page, a nonthreatening-looking purple shark is paralyzed with fear over a long-lashed jellyfish's bioluminescence. Elsewhere, readers learn that raccoons are "attracted to shiny objects" and ants "take about 250 naps throughout the day." While the overall vibe is more Hanna-Barbera than National Geographic, there's a good amount of animal factoids amid the silliness. Ages 4-8. (Feb.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-These titles are sure to whet the appetites of animal-loving children and maybe even some adults. Each book starts off with a few basic facts in the form of questions, such as "Did you know female chickens are called hens and male chickens are called roosters?" After that, things take off. Cool and intriguing facts about different animals (except household pets) are highlighted in two-page spreads. The transition between animals is smooth, and the authors do a commendable job of connecting or contrasting a fact or attribute of one animal to the next. For example, in Hippos Can't Swim, it is mentioned that jellyfish can produce light in their bodies, which is used to scare off predators. The next animals to be discussed are fireflies, whose light is used to communicate and to attract mates. In addition to the collection of interesting facts, the illustrations are comical and entertaining, though average in quality. Young readers are sure to be amused by these zany looking animals. These lively books are great choices for general purchase.-Jeanette Lambert, Nashville-Davidson County Schools, TN (c) Copyright 2014. 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
Each volume presents select trivia about a variety of creatures. For example, the peregrine falcon is the fastest animal on earth, diving at two-hundred miles per hour (from Chickens); and ants take about 250 one-minute naps a day (from Hippos). While the cartoon illustrations make no attempt to be accurate, they add even more humor to these jocular, enjoyable collections. [Review covers these Did You Know? titles: Chickens Don't Fly and Hippos Can't Swim.] (c) Copyright 2014. 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.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Smooth segues provide the cement for this high-wattage, if less-than-carefully illustrated, set of animal facts. Oswald's cartoon images of popeyed, well-caffeinated creatures crank up the visual energy to frantic levels. Unfortunately, at the outset, they contradict the author's correct observation that hippos' noses are placed on the tops of their heads. In another misstep, both illustration and a thought balloon misleadingly suggest that bats can recognize a passing 747 with echolocation (their range is much, much smaller). For the most part, though, DiSiena and Eliot's revelations are both accurate and just as detailed as they need to be to keep and hold attention. They glide from the hippo's titular lack of buoyancy (they walk along river bottoms) to the surprising fleetness of sea turtles. From there, it's on to jellyfish, which don't actively swim but do flash with bioluminescencejust like fireflies. So it goes, until the parade of facts circles neatly back around to blue whales ("actually the largest animals that have ever lived") and a closing assurance that "unlike hipposblue whales sure can SWIM!" Though the authors supply no supportive references or leads to further information, they do tuck in an additional "Fun Fact" about each of the 14 animals at the end. A companion, Chickens Don't Fly and Other Fun Facts, publishes simultaneously. The pictures are a weak link, but younger readers and listeners will happily take this quick dive into the sea of random knowledge. (Informational picture book. 5-7)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
