Animal Talk

July 1, 2002
Gr 3-5-This book is by no means a comprehensive resource; instead, it delivers interesting facts on an assortment of mammals, insects, fish, and birds. The chapter "Saying it with sound" shares select nuggets of information about the calls and percussive noises employed by certain monkeys, birds, elephants, and some marine life. "Saying it with smell" covers the ways in which some species generate odors from their bodies to send mating messages, mark territory, and direct others of their species to food. Other chapters examine body language, vibrations, luminescence, and sign language. The end of each unit features a simple exercise designed to reinforce the preceding lesson; some of them are more easily reproduced by children than others. The exercise on smell, for instance, simply requires participants to blindfold a friend and then wave a perfumed piece of paper towel; Kaner's study of vibrations, on the other hand, introduces Morse code and requires considerably more manual dexterity and abstract thought. Douglas's photo-realistic artwork contributes considerably to the overall effectiveness of this presentation. Browsers will find their curiosity piqued by this fine introduction to communication throughout the animal kingdom.-Catherine Threadgill, Charleston County Public Library, SC

Copyright 2002 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 15, 2002
Gr. 2-4. Packed with interesting facts, this spacious, large-size picture book combines a lively, informal text with big, bright, realistic illustrations, photographs as well as original artwork, that show animals in their environment. The format is similar to the DK design, but it's less busy. Each double-page spread brings together a wide range of wild creatures. There are chapters on communication with sound, smell, and body language, and one section shows how giraffes, elephants, zebras, and lions on the African savanna "say hello." In one picture a firefly is sending light messages with its body; in another, a peacock spreads its glory across two pages. A final section about communication between animals and humans looks at zoologists' work with dolphins and chimpanzees. There are also occasional experiments for children to do with adult help. Unfortunately, there are no sources for children who want more, but this is still an excellent choice for sharing and reading aloud. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)