Tag Archives: Animal Habitats and Behavior

Elem. – Thank You, Moon: Celebrating Nature’s Nightlight

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Stewart, Melissa. Thank You, Moon: Celebrating Nature’s Nightlight. Illustrated by Jessica Lanan. Alfred A. Knopf, 2023. 978-0-593-43507-6. 40 p. 18.99. Grades K-3. 

This homage to the moon is part poem, part science text. Lyrical lines honor the moon’s constant presence in the night sky and highlight the many ways it benefits life on planet Earth. The moon’s gravity keeps Earth stable, and its light helps all kinds of nocturnal animals thrive. Baby leatherback turtles use the moon’s bright light to crawl towards the ocean, while prides of lions take advantage of a waning crescent moon’s sliver to creep up on unsuspecting prey. Watercolor and colored pencil illustrations in dusky blues, greens, and purples showcase several of nature’s nocturnal creatures under the luminous moonlit sky. Backmatter includes information about how the moon lights up the night sky and descriptions and diagrams of the phases of the moon. The scientific name, size, habitat, range, diet, predators, lifespan, and field notes about each featured animal are also included. 

THOUGHTS: This informative title describes the ways animals adapt their nighttime behaviors to match the way the moon cycles through the sky. Students will be fascinated by the ways different animals behave based on the amount of light that appears each evening. This will be a good addition to STEM collections for the youngest readers and for units about nocturnal animals. 

591.5 Animal Behavior

Elem. – Shall We Dance? 

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Page, Robin. Shall We Dance? Beach Lane Books, 2023. 978- 1-665-91605-9. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades 2-3.

In her latest work Page describes the intriguing rituals that creatures from across the Animal Kingdom perform to attract a mate. On each page or double page, a description of the courtship behavior for an animal is presented, accompanied by the illustrator’s signature images. The bold text at the top of the page is a simple two to three word sentence, like “Crabs wave” and “Newts shimmy.” There also is a paragraph in a smaller font that gives more details about that critter’s particular style of attracting attention. Readers might be surprised to learn that most courtship behaviors involve dance or movement, like the tapping finches, prancing sifakas, and waltzing whales. Page uses Adobe Photoshop to create colorful illustrations on a large scale, which will attract young readers.

THOUGHTS: This is another stunning picture book from the Caldecott honoree, who often collaborated with her late husband Steve Jenkins to produce high quality nonfiction for young readers. This book works as a read aloud and the topic is discussed in a manner appropriate for young children. This is a must-have for all elementary collections. Highly recommended.

591.5 Animals – Habits and Behavior

Elem. – Hiders Seekers Finders Keepers: How Animals Adapt in Winter

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Kulekjian, Jessica. Hiders Seekers Finders Keepers: How Animals Adapt in Winter. Kids Can Press. 978-1-525-30485-9. 32 p. $19.99. Grades K-3. 

As the seasons change, it’s also necessary for animals to adapt. This sparse, but lyrical, text divides animals into three categories: hiders, seekers, and finders. The hiders search out cozy places and spend the winter huddled together. The seekers journey to milder locations where food is easier to locate. And, the finders keep warm in their thick coats and by relying on food they’ve stowed away. The digitally created illustrations burst with life and color and feature a father and daughter hiking through each season and noting the changes in scenery and animal life. Each page also features text bubbles that share additional detailed facts about the pictured animals and the ways they cope with the cold weather. Backmatter includes an animal tracking guide. 

THOUGHTS: This title transports readers through the changing seasons and highlights the many unique ways animals adapt to cold weather conditions. The succinct text is perfect for young readers, and they’ll also pore over the illustrations, searching for each animal in its burrow, den, cave, log, and nest. This will be a good fit for units about hibernation, migration, and animal adaptations. 

578.4 Animal Adaptation          Anne Bozievich, Southern York County SD

Elem. – Negative Cat

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Blackall, Sophie. Negative Cat. Nancy Paulsen Books, 2021. 978-0-399-25719-3. 32 p. $17.99. Grades K-3. 

After 427 days of asking, a young boy’s family finally agrees to let him adopt a cat. Part of the deal is that he has to feed it, clean up after it, keep his room neat, write to his grandmother, and read for 20 minutes every day. The boy admits he isn’t such a great reader, but he agrees to the conditions before his parents change their minds. He picks out the perfect cat at the rescue shelter, renaming his new pet Max. He’s excited to show Max his new bed, toys, and treats, but Max seems unimpressed. He also doesn’t show any reaction to being tickled, listening to jokes, or seeing his scratching post. Instead, Max stares at the wall, puts his tail in the butter, and leaves hairballs on the rug. The boy’s sister labels Max a negative cat, and his parents call the shelter to have a conversation. It’s only when the boy begins his dreaded task of reading – sounding out words slowly while reading them aloud – that Max begins to show some affection and form a bond with his new owner. An Author’s Note at the end of the book credits the Animal Rescue League of Berks County, Pennsylvania for inspiring the book’s ending. Blackall describes how she read an article about the Rescue League’s Book Buddies program which encourages children to practice their fluency by reading out loud to cats. 

THOUGHTS: Readers will enjoy Blackall’s spirited digital artwork, particularly the emotions displayed by Max the cat and the rest of the family members. Share this title with animal lovers and reluctant readers who may just need a little feline inspiration to jump-start their own reading. 

Picture Book          Anne Bozievich, Southern York County SD