500s: Abhorrent and Amazing: Series Nonfiction on Odd Animals
Reviewed by John Peters, New York Public Library, New York, NY -- School Library Journal, 11/1/2008
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The Bottom Line |
From the eldritch-looking aye-aye to the near-ubiquitous mosquito, the animal world offers a natural continuum that extends to the furthest reaches of our planet. Recognizing the endless fascination that animals hold for children—not to mention for educators looking to hook their students on biology or science in general—the past century and a half has seen a relentless stream of books on a vast range of animal-related topics. Happily, the mass-produced, cookie-cutter volumes of years past have largely (if not entirely) given way to higher-quality treatments. Young readers will have no trouble finding accurate and lively texts matched to eye-widening nature photos in most of the following series. All of these titles are colorful, contain little or no visual or verbal boilerplate, and close with selected links to further resources.
ARMENTROUT, David & Patricia Armentrout. Bloodsuckers ISBN 978-1-60472-301-4. LC 2008019693.
ARMENTROUT, David & Patricia Armentrout. Crafty Critters ISBN 978-1-60472-302-1. LC 2008019695.
ARMENTROUT, David & Patricia Armentrout. Freaky Faces ISBN 978-1-60472-303-8. LC 2008019696.
ARMENTROUT, David & Patricia Armentrout. Leaps and Bounds ISBN 978-1-60472-304-5. LC 2008019697.
ARMENTROUT, David & Patricia Armentrout. Speed Demons chart. ISBN 978-1-60472-305-2. LC 2008019698. ea vol: 32p. (Weird and Wonderful Animals Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Rourke 2008. PLB $19.95.
Gr 2-4–Like “Amazing Animal Defenses,” this series presents groups of animals rather than zeroing in on individual species. There is surprisingly little overlap overall, though the ostrich, for instance, makes appearances in Animals That Fly and Speed Demons, and antelopes are included in both the latter book and in Leaps and Bounds. Along with plenty of bright nature photos, the visual appeal is further cranked up by inviting page design, which features plenty of open space and enhancements like a running top border of dripping blood in Blood Suckers. Aside from Freaky Faces, which is more for browsing, the volumes will support assignments beyond the conventional single-animal topics, and the information is briefly presented but specific enough to provide a basic stock of hard facts.
ARONIN, Miriam. Aye-Aye: An Evil Omen reprods. ISBN 978-1-59716-731-4. LC 2008015387.CAPER, William. Platypus: A Century-long Mystery reprods. ISBN 978-1-59716-735-2. LC 2008013543.
GOLDISH, Meish. Fossa: A Fearsome Predator ISBN 978-1-59716-732-1. LC 2008004817.
MARKOVICS, Joyce L. Weddell Seal: Fat and Happy ISBN 978-1-59716-734-5. LC 2008014391.
MARKOVICS, Joyce L.. Tasmanian Devil: Nighttime Scavenger reprods. ISBN 978-1-59716-733-8. LC 2008009307.
PERSON, Stephen. Arctic Fox: Very Cool! ISBN 978-1-59716-730-7. LC 2008010637. ea vol: 32p. (Uncommon Animals Series). map. photos. bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Bearport 2008. PLB $25.27.
Gr 2-4–These examinations of six photogenic animals and selected specialists who study them offer the current crop's best balance of appealing presentation and systematic, clearly presented information. Each creature inhabits an exotic habitat, from the arctic fox that “lives farther north than any other land mammal in the world” and the Weddell Seal to Madagascar's aye-aye and fossa. The aye-aye is a lemur so rare that it was mistakenly declared extinct in the 1930s, and the elusive fossa is a lemur-eating mongoose and the island's largest native predator. Readers will linger over the excellent pictures and come away with a better understanding of the creatures and of some of the challenges facing scientists who seek to learn more about them.
DUSSLING, Jennifer. Deadly Poison Dart Frogs ISBN 978-1-59716-720-8. LC 2008011905.GOLDISH, Meish. Disgusting Hagfish ISBN 978-1-59716-719-2. LC 2008008624.
HOURAN, Lori Haskins. Bloody Horned Lizards ISBN 978-1-59716-717-8. LC 2008016048.
NICHOLS, Catherine. Prickly Porcupines ISBN 978-1-59716-721-5. LC 2008009369.
NICHOLS, Catherine. Smelly Skunks map. ISBN 978-1-59716-716-1. LC 2008004816.
NICHOLS, Catherine. Tricky Opossums ISBN 978-1-59716-718-5. LC 2008005942. ea vol: 24p. (Gross-out Defenses Series). map. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Bearport 2008. PLB $21.28.
Gr 2-3–The stars of the show, at least when it comes to browser appeal, these titles focus on different defensive strategies highlighted in vivid, often gloriously repulsive photos. Leading the way is the hagfish, with its ability to generate clouds of thick, gill- and nose-clogging slime, but, as seen in a spectacular stop-motion image, the horned lizard can squirt blood out of its eye sockets, and a shot of a dog sporting a face full of porcupine quills will have even cynical viewers wincing. Each volume includes a species range map and lively text presented in well-spaced single sentences. Expect plenty of delighted “ewwwww”s and shouts of “gross!”
HUDAK, Heather C. Thumbelina: The World's Smallest Horse ISBN 978-1-59036-854-1; ISBN 978-1-59036-855-8. LC 2008015570.TAIT, Leia. Emi: Saving Her Rhino Species ISBN 978-1-59036-856-5; ISBN 978-1-59036-857-2. LC 2008015573.
TAIT, Leia. Little Draggin' Bear: The Cat on Wheels ISBN 978-1-59036-860-2; ISBN 978-1-59036-861-9. LC 2008015574.
TAIT, Leia. Pecorino: Posing Worldwide ISBN 978-1-59036-858-9; ISBN 978-1-59036-859-6. LC 2008015572. ea vol: 24p. (Inspiring Animals Series). map. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Weigl Nov. 2008. Tr $24.45; pap. $6.95.
Gr 2-3–From a “dwarf miniature” horse standing just 17 inches high to a paraplegic cat that scoots around on wheels, the subjects of these short profiles are well chosen to attract animal lovers. Along with describing each creature's history, situation, and personality, the authors introduce an associated keeper or scientist and include a spread of general information about the species. There is, however, some careless writing (“There are more than 7,000 endangered animals on Earth”), and anthropomorphizing (“Draggin' Bear enjoys helping others”), and the craft in each volume is perfunctory at best.
MITCHELL, Susan K. Animal Body-Part Regenerators: Growing New Heads, Tails, and Legs diags. ISBN 978-0-7660-3295-8. LC 2008011453.MITCHELL, Susan K.. Animal Chemical Combat: Poisons, Smells, and Slime diags. ISBN 978-0-7660-3294-1. LC 2008011450.
MITCHELL, Susan K.. Animal Mimics: Look-Alikes and Copycats ISBN 978-0-7660-3293-4. LC 2008011449.
MITCHELL, Susan K.. Animals with Awesome Armor: Shells, Scales, and Exoskeletons ISBN 978-0-7660-3296-5. LC 2008011456.
MITCHELL, Susan K.. Animals with Crafty Camouflage: Hiding in Plain Sight diag. ISBN 978-0-7660-3291-0. LC 2008011073.
MITCHELL, Susan K.. Animals with Wicked Weapons: Stingers, Barbs, and Quills ISBN 978-0-7660-3292-7. LC 2008011075. ea vol: 48p. (Amazing Animal Defenses Series). photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Enslow 2008. PLB $23.93.
Gr 2-4–Broader in focus than the “Gross-Out Defenses” series, this set groups animals by type of defensive (and sometimes offensive) behavior or capability. Combat, for instance, opens with a look at snakes and monarch butterflies, closes with marine ink squirters and the ever-popular hagfish, and in between recounts the unfortunate consequences of bothering such animals as stink bugs and the slow loris (“It produces a poison that smells like stinky gym socks”). The close-up photos are frequent and well chosen, and accompanied by clear, simply phrased texts, which are more detailed than average and take up most or all of the space on each page. An unusual feature is each volume's closing discussion of human equivalents, such as what spies do in Mimics, and how Kevlar works in Armor.
RAKE, Jody Sullivan. The Aye-Aye ISBN 978-1-4296-1737-6. LC 2008003899.RAKE, Jody Sullivan. The Frogfish ISBN 978-1-4296-1738-3. LC 2008004212.
RAKE, Jody Sullivan. The Naked Mole-Rat ISBN 978-1-4296-1739-0. LC 2008003897.
RAKE, Jody Sullivan. The Proboscis Monkey ISBN 978-1-4296-1740-6. LC 2008003770. ea vol: 24p. (Weird Animals Series). map. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Capstone/Pebble Bks. 2008. PLB $21.27.
Gr 1-2–Aimed at beginning readers, and even pre-readers, these profiles pair a big, often very-close-up color photo with four or five short lines of descriptive text on each spread. Though the subjects are chosen for their peculiar appearances, Rake makes positive rather than condescending or negative observations–even naked mole-rats, front runners in the ugly-animal sweepstakes, might have “…weird body parts. But their bodies are perfect for where they live.” Each volume includes a species range map.
The Bottom Line
All but the “Inspiring Animals” series will make useful, popular additions or replacements. Casual browsers and reluctant readers will be most strongly drawn to the “Gross-Out Defenses” series, though the “Weird Animals” and, for better readers, “Amazing Animal Defenses” titles are also likely to enjoy healthy circulation. “Uncommon Animals” and the somewhat more advanced “Weird and Wonderful Animals” will best serve as assignment materials.
See How They Run: Series Nonfiction on Animals (Spring 2009)
A Furry Few: Series Nonfiction on Mammals (Fall 2008)
Dinosaurs to Dolphin: Series Nonfiction on Reptiles and Fish (Fall 2008)
