The Nature Girls

March 1, 2019

PreS-Gr 1-The youngsters from The Weather Girls return for another delightful romp. Clothed in matching (often lemon yellow), activity-related ensembles, the 16 girls (introduced by name on the first spread) have diverse skin tones and hair (varying in color, style, and texture). While the first book focused on the seasons, this offering has the group leaving behind their shared abode to investigate five different biomes (briefly introduced in an appended note). Rhyming text and intricate, color-splashed cartoon artwork show the girls scuba diving with dolphins and colorful fish, aboard a camel for a "bumpy ride" across the desert (one smiling youngster dangles from their mount's tail), observing wildlife on a safari in the grasslands, mushing across the tundra via dogsled, marveling at the diversity of life in a forest, and more. The handsomely composed illustrations buzz with action and warmth, and detail-minded readers will enjoy tracing the specific activities of each girl through the changing environments. No adults are depicted, keeping attention focused tightly on the young adventurers. VERDICT Picture book fans will appreciate the visual and narrative elements reminiscent of Ludwig Bemelmans's Madeline, while relishing way that Aki's intrepid protagonists explore, observe, and revel in the wonders of nature.-Joy Fleishhacker, Pikes Peak Library District, Colorado Springs

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 15, 2019
The same 16 inquisitive gals from The Weather Girls (2018) are now traipsing through different biomes to investigate nature. The identical yellow slickers in the first foray turn into matching yellow safari outfits as the girls set out to explore. They see some bunnies in their own backyard, but a quick page turn places them at a beach swimming with dolphins. In swift succession they march through a rainforest and then a desert (getting some transportation help from a camel). They board a safari vehicle through the grasslands, pile into a plane to the tundra, mush a dog sled across the ice, and end up in a boat traveling to the forest. Each habitat shows a smattering of animals that vigilant readers will have to spot since the bouncy text is rather vague: "It's time to go. / We march along. / We smile at birds / and share their song." (In addition to the several types of birds in the accompanying rainforest scene, there are a bush baby, a gecko, a butterfly, and a spotted frog.) Some biomes are named specifically; most are more fully explained in the backmatter. (The poor rainforest is a bit lost in further discussion.) Aki's playful art shines, showing sneaky tongues out and great big, wide grins on the diverse tots. Mischievous moments add mirth, as when one climbs the sailboat's mast and another swings from the camel's tail. A concluding silhouette hints at more adventures to come. Only rudimentary as a scientific primer but delightful as a harmonious collection of details to pore over. (Picture book. 3-6)

COPYRIGHT(2019) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

May 13, 2019
In Aki’s follow-up to The Weather Girls, readers join the titular Nature Girls, a group of trekkers who are eager to visit the world’s biomes. From scuba diving while “a pod of dolphins swims nearby” to riding on the back of a camel who “takes us for a bumpy ride” across the desert, these curious girls circle the globe. Spreads show the girls soaring in an airplane, riding in a dog sled, and outlined against a dark, starry sky. An informative note summarizes the featured biomes—aquatic, desert, grassland, tundra, and forest. Illustrations that show the girls in pith helmets veer uncomfortably toward the aesthetic of colonial travelers, but Aki’s bouncing prose pairs with bright landscapes that teem with equally colorful plants and animals (“The forest’s lush and filled with sound”) and provide an enticing invitation to young readers: “There’s more to see and do and know.” Ages 4–8.