It's time for a little, nonfiction goodness, and today's read should hold just that.
With Spring poking out its head...very quickly, I might add..., a read about nature seems to be a perfect fit. Today's read circles around the smaller creatures around us and looks at several 'super-powers' some of them possess. I'm hoping to discover some new facts, but as long as it's well done and an enjoyable read, that's fine with me, too.
So, let's see what animals and such are waiting in these pages!
NATURE'S TINY CHAMPIONS
The Big Book of Little Creatures Doing Mighty Things
by Ben Lerwill
Illustrated by Nic Jones
Phaidon Press
Middle Grade Nonfiction
48 pages
ages 8 to 12
COMING APRIL 17th!!!
A fact-filled and vividly-illustrated exploration of the BIG roles played by tiny animals around the world
We hear a lot about the importance of the amazing, large animals of our world, but what about the little creatures whose roles are just as vital? Covering 20 fascinating animals including Antarctic krill, pygmy marmosets, and honeybees, Nature's Tiny Champions sheds light on the important contributions they make to our planet by playing key roles in natural phenomena such as migration, food chains, and pollination. Each tiny champion is accompanied by a life-size diagram, highlighting how animals don't have to be big to make a huge difference.
MY TIDBITS
From cute to odd to interesting to eyebrow-lifting, these creatures hold many surprises and more.
This book consists of 20 small creatures, including mammals, insects, crustaceans, reptiles, and birds. In other words, it takes a broad look across the spectrum. Every page is brightly and fully illustrated to create a lively atmosphere from the very first page. The first pages offer a quick introduction, which holds a touch of excitement to awaken the curiosity. Each two-page spread begins with the name of the presented creature followed by a short paragraph with the basic information surrounding the animal. Several other small paragraphs are spaced around the illustrations and highlight the special aspects of the creature as well as some more interesting facts. The text is straight-forward and, yet, written with enough energy to draw the reader in.
Each animal is interesting. While some are more familiar, there are several exotic ones, too. Each creature is nicely illustrated, but what I found especially nice was that each one is illustrated to size. There were a few exceptions to this due to practical reasons (a couple are very small). In these cases, the larger-than-life illustration is marked with a note as to magnification. Then, above it is a measured line with the actual size of the creature depicted.
A column along the right side of the two-page spread adds a little side information surrounding the presented creature or their talent, which offers some interesting information as well. Then, at the end of the book, each creature is quickly summed up again in an overview style. An table of contents is missing at the front, but this book is also short enough to flip through and locate the desired creature as well.
It's a fun book to flip through, study, and grab up time and again. The information offers some more known facts as well as many new ones. The writing and information works very nicely for the middle grade audience and will even delight more sure chapter book readers. I can see many young readers picking this one up for a glance and more.
And here they are...
Ben Lerwill is a multi-award-winning children’s author and freelance writer who has written for over 50 publications, including National Geographic Traveller, The Sunday Times, and BBC Travel. Previous recognition for his books includes a Wainwright Prize for Children’s Nature Writing shortlist, a National Geographic Kids’ Magazine ‘Book of the Month’ and a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection.
Nic Jones has been a professional illustrator for nearly 5 years. Previous works include Earth Clock: The History of Our Planet in 24 Hours, and Above and Below: Dusk til Dawn.
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