Different? Same!

February 15, 2017
Groups of animals demonstrate sameness and difference.Each double-page spread presents four highly diverse, named animals, each with a note about one of its differences from the other three--and finally a sentence describing an important shared characteristic. Generally, the differences are in the same category--such as homes, methods of movement, and sounds. In the first grouping, each animal tells how it moves: the zebra says, "I gallop"; the bee says, "I fly"; the ring-tailed lemur says, "I leap"; the tiger says, "I prowl." The spread concludes: "But look closer now....We all have STRIPES!" The "look closer now" provides a happily consistent mantra for young ears. Little ones will have fun examining the brightly colored, cartoonlike artwork, trying to figure out a common ground beyond obvious features such as mouths and eyes. Two spreads without obvious categories for the differences feel a bit off but can invite further discussion. (Perhaps the sleekness of the dolphin, the colors of the penguin, the many arms of the squid, and the spiky-ness of the puffer fish are all ways of attracting mates? The similarity is that each has flippers or fins.) The book begins with a little rhyme about differences and ends with one about how looking closely helps us realize that "we're not as different as we first appear." This sweet metaphor for human diversity is followed by questions for further examination of the illustrations, as well as more information about the features...featured. Informative fun. (Informational picture book. 2-6)

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April 1, 2017
Preschool-G This playful exploration of categorization offers brainteasing lessons that zero in on 13 animal characteristics, all of which are a bit of a surprise. We are all different, as different as can be. / Take a quick lookit's easy to see. Groups of common land and sea creatures initially appear to not have much in common, but the animals, each naming their own behaviors or characteristics, invite readers to reconsider whether they belong in the same group. The zebra gallops; the bumblebee flies; the ring-tailed lemur leaps; the tiger prowls but look closer now . . . we all have stripes! The list of similarities includes stripes, whiskers, tusks, manes, horns, shells, antennae, wings, fangs, scales, spikes, flippers or fins, and tentacles. Curnick adds flourish to Tekavec's instructive tidbits by gracing the pages with colorful mixed-media scenes depicting labeled, cartoonish animals with playful smiles and curious stares. This engaging, celebratory paean to animal kingdom traits offers little ones a lively introduction to classification as well.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)