It's tough to be tiny

K-Gr 3--The smallest creatures have numerous challenges to their survival: larger predators, getting squashed, and struggling to get their own food, just for starters. While their small size may make them seem particularly vulnerable, they have an array of impressive defensive traits and hunting techniques. These creatures have developed defenses such as armor, camouflage, and impressive jumping, and weapons such as toxic darts and sticky goo traps, that allow them to thrive. While the majority are insects and arachnids, a variety of aquatic and microscopic life-forms are featured as well. Creatures are organized by survival trait, allowing readers to draw connections between different species: for instance, both sea slugs and landlocked millipedes shoot toxins at predators. Dense informative text is paired with detailed, realistic drawings of small creatures living within their habitats. Employing illustrations instead of photographs enables the portrayal of each protective trait in action and the seamless inclusion of diagrams and sequential panels to aid in comprehension. A wealth of facts is offered about each creature, including quite a few gross bits (e.g., the beetle that hides in its own poop). While the denseness of the text and some advanced vocabulary may prove challenging to some, compelling material and an energetic tone will draw readers in. VERDICT This illustrated celebration of small but mighty and sometimes ferocious creatures is recommended for general purchase.--Elizabeth Lovsin

Very small creatures nevertheless have many effective survival strategies. Jumping out of the way of enemies, shooting them with toxins, relying on armor, and camouflaging themselves are all ways tiny creatures can avoid being eaten. But, Ryall Woolcock explains, they can also turn the tables, biting, hunting, herding, or just joining up with others. This survey of survival skills begins cleverly with an illustration of a small pink-skinned child being squished in a crowd. Having made a connection with their intended readers, Ryall Woolcock and Thomas introduce their subject: the "superpowers" of various small creatures. From baby planthoppers, which use gears to perform jumping feats, to imperial shrimp, which stay safe from predators by riding around on poisonous nudibranchs, author and illustrator present a wide variety of strategies. For the most part, each species gets a single page; some topics--like the hunting methods of various spiders--receive a double-page spread. Considerable information is packed into short paragraphs, often with headers, set directly on full-bleed illustrations that effectively showcase menacing predators and their potential prey, like the gently humorous cover, which depicts a frog about to be surprised by the beetle it's hoping to eat. This builds on the information provided by Nathalie Tordjman's The Book of Tiny Creatures (2021), illustrated by Julien Norwood and Emmanuelle Tchoukriel. Humans portrayed are diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.) An appealing reminder that mighty things come in small packages. (Informational picture book. 7-9) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.