Review by New York Times Review
Jellyfish, flamingoes, butterflies; pandas, zebras, vipers. This beautifully illustrated oversize compendium will be a treat for anyone who likes to look at and think about the staggering variety of animals on this planet. Davies ("King of the Sky") has a degree in zoology and a clear passion for animal life. A brief verse on each spread is both awed and intimate - "The panda walks alone," she writes, "and the reason for its color / we may never really know" - leaving ample space for Horacek's vividly colored, painterly art. INKY'S GREAT ESCAPE The Incredible (and Mostly True) Story of an Octopus Escape By Casey Lyall. Illustrated by Sebastiâ Serra. 32 pp. Sterling. $16.95. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) Few stories of animal escapades rival octopus escapes for mindboggling fun. Lyall embellishes wildly on the story of Inky, who broke out of a New Zealand aquarium in 2016. This Inky is a raconteur and a patient opportunist who escapes on a dare from his tankmate, Blotchy. Inky's physical feats are, of course, incredible: He makes himself "flat as a piece of seaweed," then coils his body into a rope, slipping down the drain and out to the ocean. With Technicolor flair, Serra's madcap cartoony illustrations rev up the story even more. RED & LULU Written and illustrated by Matt Tavares. 40 pp. Candlewick. $17.99. (Picture book; ages 3 to 7) Redand Lulu, a devoted pair of cardinals, live year-round in a giant pine tree overlooking the snug house of a family of humans. But the tree is chopped down and strapped to a truck, with Lulu in its branches. Red's journey to find his mate makes for gorgeous sweeping vistas and heightened emotion, especially when he finds her in the illuminated branches of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. Tavares ("Crossing Niagara") lets the holiday note waft lightly, bringing equal cheer to the celebration of pair-bonding and New York City. FEATHER By Cao Wenxuan. Illustrated by Roger Mello. 48 pp. Elsewhere Editions. $18. (Picture book; ages 4 to 8) I believe a good picture book comes close to philosophy; the great Chinese children's author Cao writes in the introduction to this lovely and, yes, profound tale of a feather searching for the bird it belongs to. As Feather is rebuffed by a heron, a peacock, a wild goose and more, we glimpse each bird's personality and sense of purpose, and we feel Feather's longing for self-knowledge and a home. Mello's striking art makes each page a bright color, each avian portrait an evocative surprise. The book's boxlike design looks special, too. HOW TO BE AN ELEPHANT Growing Up in the African Wild Written and illustrated by Katherine Roy. 48 pp. Roaring Brook. $18.99. (Picture book; ages 7 to 11) From Babar to Little Elliot, fictional elephants have charmed generations of kid readers. But make room for this account of real-life elephants that follows a baby through her first two years, explaining elephant society and biology and how the young learn. The energetic illustrations are whimsical on one page, scientifically precise on the next. As in her wonderful "Neighborhood Sharks," Roy reels you in with startling facts, then shows how a dominant species is really vulnerable, dependent on humans to choose to practice conservation. ONLINE An expanded visual presentation of this week's column is at nytimes.com/books.
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [November 12, 2017]
Review by Booklist Review
An eye-catching illustration of an orangutan and her baby will draw children to this collection of verse by science writer Davies. Five thematic sections with headings such as Colors and Shapes and Animal Homes give the presentation a bit of structure. The book's generous size and heavy, glossy pages provide an excellent showcase for the mixed-media artwork. The very large, colorful illustrations are impressive, and Horácek uses the space well, offering striking images of many species. Often written in rhyme (or slant rhyme) and usually steering clear of anthropomorphism, the poems vary in effectiveness. Some of the best, such as Baby Gorilla, capture instants in the wild, while others muse about animal behavior and dramatic moments, marrying interesting facts to poetically phrased information. Other selections, such as Ways to Get to Water, appear to be straight prose. Each section ends with a double-page spread of detailed drawings accompanied by prose captions. Kids intrigued by animals will enjoy the art while absorbing some information along the way.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2017 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Davies and Horacek offer a striking poetic and visual tribute to the animal world. Grouped into thematic chapters that include "Big and Small," "Colors and Shapes," and "Animal Homes," Davies's pithy, playful poems skillfully impart details about the various creatures ("From a swollen, pregnant pouch,/ small fishy sea foals squiggle out./ They've grown from eggs inside the tummy/ of their daddy, not their mommy"). Horacek's sweeping, layered collages vary in form, composition, and medium: shards of painted paper ("a fresh green ribbon/ torn from a blade of elephant grass") help form a weaverbird's nest, while elsewhere a tiger's stripes fade into jungle. Ages 3-7. Author's agent: Veronique Baxter, David Higham Associates. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-At first glance, this oversize volume is extraordinarily eye-catching. It is drenched, page after page, in vibrant colors that realistically depict numerous creatures from around the world. A brief poem accompanies each of the featured animals. The verse-occasionally rhyming or free verse, and mostly rather forced-focuses on key characteristics of the beasts, although there are examples of the author using poetic license to anthropomorphize some of the critters. And therein lies the rub: the subtitle of the book implies it is for very young readers, yet the fonts used (much of the text is in script) and the interpretation of many of the poems will require an adult companion. For example, readers may not be familiar with terms such as canopy and pylon or ribbon, which, in this usage, really stands for a blade of grass. Each lyric may lead kids to seek out more information, and teachers could use the book with older students to demonstrate how poetry can convey information. VERDICT Large poetry collections with an interest in animal subjects may want to consider.-Maggie Chase, Boise State University, ID © Copyright 2017. 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
Horaček's arresting mixed-media illustrations are the glory of this poetry volume. Davies's observations about each animal are pleasant little snippets, mostly in verse (though not all as songlike as the title suggests). Loosely arranged into categories such as "colors and shapes," "animal babies," and "animal homes," the oversize book serves more as a poetic picture-book celebration of wildlife than a reference work. (c) Copyright 2018. 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
Paintings, poetry, and lyrical prose celebrate animals of all sorts. From blue whales to blue morpho butterflies, camels to coral, sea turtles to snails, Davies finds something young readers will find appealing and memorable about all kinds of animals. This striking, oversized album, first published in England, groups over 50 poems and snatches of carefully crafted prose into sections corresponding to topics: sizes; colors and shapes; homes; babies; and animals in action. The pleasing poetry makes liberal use of imagery, alliteration, and slant rhymes. The writer imagines monarch butterflies at their winter home: "clothing, covering, the trees / in a thick coat of living flame / that shimmers as a shiver passes / from wing to wing to wing." This lyrical language is matched by sumptuous illustrations beautifully reproduced on glossy, oversized pages. Most poems are set on one side of double-page spreads, allowing the paintings ample, deserved room. Each animal is portrayed against a background that suggests something about its usual habitat. Horcek uses a variety of materials including wax crayon, acrylic and watercolor paints, and cutouts. The vibrant color and texture may remind some of the work of Brian Wildsmith. Each section ends with a spread of fast facts: characteristics of different animal groups; spots and stripes; parasites; eggs; and animals using tools. A treasure for readers of any age who delight in the natural world. (Informational picture book/ poetry. 4-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
