Tag Archives: Nocturnal Animals

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. – Opossums

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Andrews, Elizabeth. Twilight Animals. ABDO Books, 2023. 24 p. $21.95 ea. $131.70 Set of 6. Grades K-2. 

Barn Owls. 978-1-098-24205-3. 
Bears. 978-1-098-24206-0.
Bobcats. 978-1-098-24207-7.
Moose. 978-1-098-24208-4.
Opossums. 978-1-098-24209-1.
Skunks. 978-1-098-24210-7.

This reviewer had the opportunity to read Opossums. Opossums are some of nature’s most unique twilight animals. As the sun sets, opossums ready themselves for an evening of eating. They eat anything from insects to vegetables, trash, roadkill, and even poisonous snakes and ticks. This title highlights additional facts about these unique nocturnal animals, including information about their physical characteristics, habitat, and behavior. Large, colorful photographs showcase opossums in their natural surroundings and highlight features such as their paws, ears, and tail. QR codes sprinkled throughout the book offer access to digital resources such as a PBS video about opossums, information about other marsupials, and activities like a word search and a maze. Backmatter includes a section titled “Making Connections” that challenges readers to make text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-world connections about opossums. Additional text features include a Table of Contents, Glossary, and Index. 

THOUGHTS: This eye-catching title will draw in the youngest nonfiction fans, and the QR codes add an additional dimension to the title’s simple text. This book will work well for units featuring nocturnal animals or discussions about marsupials or omnivores. 

598-599 Aves (Birds), Mammalia (Mammals)