Just Like Us! Ants

August 1, 2017

K-Gr 2-Heos engages kids in facts about ants and birds by comparing their traits to similar human ones in this humorous series. Each spread opens with a snappy headline, such as "Sister Cities" or "Baby Talk," before transitioning into more detailed information on the subject (how ants live in communities like people do, or how birds learn to sing just as human babies do). In each volume, Heos smartly links the various spreads together so that readers can build upon their understanding; for instance, following the "Baby Talk" spread is "Sound FX," which covers why birds use those very sounds. Clark's cartoon drawings are zany and comic book-like in style, particularly in their heavy use of lines. Much is reminiscent of Clark's previous work in Insect Soup: Bug Poems. A sprinkling of photos throughout will also help readers in visualizing the text. VERDICT Recommended for general purchase, especially wherever humor is popular.-Kristen Todd-Wurm, Middle Country Public Library, NY

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