Tag Archives: Animals

Elem. – What’s Inside a Caterpillar Cocoon? and Other Questions About Moths and Butterflies

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Ignotofsky, Rachel. What’s Inside a Caterpillar Cocoon? and Other Questions About Moths and Butterflies. Crown Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-0-593-17657-3. 40 p. $18.99. Grades K-3. 

Although libraries may already have several titles about the life cycles of butterflies, this book stands out thanks to its stunning illustrations and visually appealing layout. Simple sentences compare and contrast butterflies and moths and share interesting information, such as the fact that these animals have been flying the earth since the time of the dinosaurs. Clearly labeled diagrams explain the four life stages of butterflies and moths: egg, caterpillar, pupa, and adult. Additional descriptions also walk readers through the changes that occur inside a butterfly chrysalis and a moth cocoon. Full-page images of the animals’ anatomy highlight their similarities and differences, and captions describe how their wing patterns help the insects camouflage themselves or confuse potential predators. Readers will linger over the beautiful illustrations, featuring many shades of green, yellow, and orange. Varied typefaces, labels, and speech bubbles break the text into easy-to-digest segments. The final page features suggested extension activities such as visiting local national parks to find out what kinds of butterflies and moths live nearby, adding plants to your yard to attract pollinators, and visiting a natural history museum to see butterfly and moth specimens up close. 

THOUGHTS: This is one of the most eye-catching nonfiction titles I’ve ever seen. Not only will readers return for the poster-quality illustrations, but they will also be hooked by the inviting and conversational textual layout. 

595.78 Moths and Butterflies 

Elem. – Cone Dog

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Howden, Sarah. Cone Dog. Illustrated by Carmen Mok. Owlkids Books, 2023. 978-1-771-47514-3. $18.95. Unpaged. Grades PreK-2.

When Emma comes home from the vet with a plastic cone on her head, she is very perturbed. The cone makes digging more difficult, and it makes the other dogs stare at her. All she wants to do is lay around and sulk. Before long, however, a game of catch leads to a surprising discovery: there are actually benefits that come from wearing the cone! For instance, Emma is able to catch more than one ball at a time. Best of all, she is able to use the cone in a creative, hilarious way to scare off Keith, the sneaky neighborhood squirrel who loves to tease her. Maybe the cone isn’t so bad after all! But will Emma be okay when it’s finally time to take the cone off?

THOUGHTS: This humorous story is a great selection for young animal lovers. Readers will appreciate its subtle message about finding the silver lining and making the best of any situation. For double the fun, pair it with Cone Cat (2020), another amusing story by the same author/illustrator team.

Picture Book

Elem. – Early Animal Encyclopedias (Series NF)

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Early Animal Encyclopedias. Abdo Books. 2023. $32.95 each or $197.70 for set of 6. Gr. K-4.

Hinman, Bonnie. Farm Animals. 978-1-09-829042-9.
Hulick, Kathryn. Dinosaurs. 978-1-09-829040-5.
MacMillan, Kathy. Cats. 978-1-0982-9039-9.
Miller, Marie-Therese, PhD. Dogs. 978-1-09-829041-2.
Ventura, Marne. Horses. 978-1-09-829043-6.
—. Sharks. 978-1-09-829044-3.

The reviewer read the book Cats from the Early Animal Encyclopedia series. This book is a beginner’s guide to cats. Cats is an early reader encyclopedia brimming with cat information. The book is organized alphabetically by breed name and discusses the appearance, behavior, and history of said breed. In addition, a map is included to show from where each breed originated. Filled with information, this book is a cat-lover’s dream.

THOUGHTS: This title is a great beginner encyclopedia about cats. Each breed is outlined in the same format, making it easy for readers to find a flow with the information provided. This book is filled with nice photographs and easy-to-read text.

500s-600s Animals

Elem. – We Are Going to be Pals!

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Teague, Mark. We Are Going to be Pals! Beach Lane Books, 2023. 978-1-665-91186-3. $18.99. Grades K-2.

Egret, the egret, sees Rhino, the rhinoceros, from a tree up above. An egret and a rhinoceros have a symbiotic relationship, which is also known as becoming best friends! Egret explains to Rhino how they have a great relationship and friendship. Their friendship is about eating together, playing and having fun together, and being there for one another. It is also about communication and respecting boundaries. Egret kindly informs Rhino of their great friendship throughout this story.

THOUGHTS: A fun story of opposite characters who were destined to become best friends due to their symbiotic relationship. This fun story is one that describes how opposites can attract!

Picture Book

Elem. – Lali’s Flip-Flops

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Zia, Farhana. Lali’s Flip-Flops. Peachtree. 2023. 978-1-682-63493-6. $18.99. Grades K-2.

Lali has been working very hard to earn some money. She works and she works until she has a little jingle in her pocket, then off to the market she goes! As she travels, she sees her animal friends and they ask her if she is going to buy them treats. The road on her journey to the market is very tough on Lali’s feet. Will Lali buy new flip-flops for herself or treats for her animal friends?

THOUGHTS: This is a fun story about working hard and being generous!

Picture Book

Elem. – The Wild Robot Protects

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Brown, Peter. The Wild Robot Protects. Little Brown and Company, 2023. 978-0-316-66941-2. 277 p. $17.99. Grades 3-5.

The Wild Robot Protects takes the reader back to the island with Roz and her family. Everything is going well when a seal comes to the island and warns the creatures of a “poison tide” that is headed towards the island. Many of the animals leave the island, some such as Roz’s son Brightbill decide to stay as this island is their home. Roz decides that she is going to figure out where the “poison tide” is coming from and she will stop it as well. She learns that she  needs to find an ancient shark and ask them for help, so off she goes. The reader follows Roz as she goes off on this adventure, and they will wait with anticipation to find out whether Roz was able to save the island and stop the “poison tide”.

THOUGHTS: The Wild Robot series is so fun, whether being used for a read aloud with a group of students, or just read by one student for pleasure. This addition is as wonderful as the rest of them! This would be a great book to use with a climate change unit, or just as a read aloud (as long as the class is familiar with the other Wild Robot books). Highly recommended for any elementary school collection.

Science Fiction

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. – Bears Are Best!

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HoLub, Joan. Bears Are Best! Illustrated by Laurie Keller. Crown Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-0-525-64533-7. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-3.

Bears Are Best! is a picture book that follows a brown bear as he tells readers all about himself, as well as how he is the only bear in this book. However, spoiler alert, he is not the only bear in this book. What the reader finds out is that the brown bear is not the only bear in this book and what follows is each species of bear being introduced. There are several funny conversations had between the bears and even a special appearance from another species of animal.

THOUGHTS: This was a super enjoyable and interesting way to learn simple facts about different species of bears. The reader definitely will want to pay attention to the illustrations and the conversations that the bears are having with each other as it really adds to the book.

Picture Book

Elem. – Bitsy Bat, School Star

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Windness, Kaz. Bitsy Bat, School Star. Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2023. 978-1-665-90505-3. Unpaged. $18.99. Grades K-3.

Bitsy Bat has big star dreams but is nervous. It’s her first night at a new school, and she’s worried she isn’t ready. After a quick review of raising her wing, painting friends, and sharing snacks Bitsy feels more confident in going to school. As Bitsy flies into Crittercrawl Elementary, readers will see things from Bitsy’s perspective. While the beginning of the story features the bats right side up (close observers will note them hanging not standing), Bitsy’s school looks like a typical elementary classroom with tables and chairs and a variety of students. After her initial confusion over sitting in a chair, Bitsy feels dizzy from being wrong side up. Then she doesn’t paint like her classmates, and her snacks make them squeal. Constantly being told she’s doing things “Wrong, wrong, wrong!” makes Bitsy “Screeeeeeech!” with awful feelings of never, ever fitting in. After being comforted by Mama and Papa, Bitsy flies home and  dreams she was “a very small star.” Refusing not to attend school, Bitsy’s Mama and Papa have some good advice for her, explaining how “Everyone shines a little differently.” With a few tools to help her feel safe, Bitsy is ready to share her big star idea. Will her classmates and teacher like Bitsy’s idea, or will it be another way for her to feel like she’s doing everything wrong?

THOUGHTS: The book ends happily then shares more about autism and an author’s note in which Windness compares herself with Bitsy (no, she doesn’t fly or hang from her toes). Highly recommended for elementary collections, this title will help teachers promote an inclusive environment which celebrates the many different ways we each are special stars.

Picture Book

Elem. – Baby Animals in the Wild (Series NF)

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Baby Animals in the Wild. Bullfrog Books, 2023. $18.95 ea. $265.30 set of 14. 24 p. Grades K-2. 

Chanez, Katie. Beaver Kits in the Wild. 979-8-885-24403-9.
Brandle, Marie. Elephants in the Wild. 979-8-885-24062-8.
Chanez, Katie. Fox Kits in the Wild. 979-8-885-24406-0.
Brandle, Marie. Giraffe Calves in the Wild. 979-8-885-24065-9.
Brandle, Marie. Gorilla Infants in the Wild. 979-8-885-24068-0.
Brandle, Marie. Hippopotamus Calves in the Wild. 979-8-885-24071-0.
Brandle, Marie. Lion Cubs in the Wild. 979-8-885-24074-1.
Brandle, Marie. Monkey Infants in the Wild. 979-8-885-24077-2.
Chanez, Katie. Rabbit Kits in the Wild. 979-8-885-24409-1.
Chanez, Katie. Racoon Cubs in the Wild. 979-8-885-24412-1.
Chanez, Katie. Skunk Kits in the Wild. 979-8-885-24415-2.
Chanez, Katie. Squirrel Kits in the Wild. 979-8-885-24418-3.
Brandle, Marie. Tiger Cubs in the Wild. 979-8-885-24080-2.
Brandle, Marie. Zebra Foals in the Wild. 979-8-885-24083-3.

The only thing cuter than a fully grown animal is a baby animal, of course! In the new series Baby Animals in the Wild, young readers will have the opportunity to learn more about some common baby animals. Each volume follows a species of baby animal from its earliest hours, through formative experiences like bonding with family, playing, learning to hunt and fend for themselves, and more. The volume ends with the baby animal now fully grown and with a family of its own. This reviewer had the opportunity to read Fox Kits in the Wild. Simple text introduced early readers to fox kits only a few hours old. Readers learned how fox fur changes color as it grows, that foxes have bushy tails, and that their mother teaches them to hunt, among other facts. Numerous photographs are included throughout each volume and photo labels identify key words mentioned within the text. Each volume contains a picture glossary; a labeled photo identifying parts of the animal; an index; and tips for parents and educators how how they can support young readers before, during, and after reading the book.

THOUGHTS: This series does an excellent job of introducing young readers to the amazing world of baby animals. Familiar words, repetition, and photo labels will assist emerging readers as they read. A worthwhile addition for elementary libraries looking to expand their animal collections for young readers.

590s Animals