Saturday, February 11, 2023

Winter Reading 2023 Super Small: Miniature Marvels of the Natural World

 


A type of seahorse so good at camouflage that scientists only discovered them by accident when they brought some coral into a lab to study. A jellyfish that can reboot its life cycle. A hummingbird that can fly upside down. What do all of these astounding creatures have in common? They are super small. And they way they are illustrated by the awesome Ashley Spires (The Most Magnificent Thing, Binky the Space Cat, etc.), they are also super cute.

Poetic descriptions of each amazing creature are accompanied by a large scale illustration, then smaller side panels offer a discussion of the super power it possesses. Readers will learn that tardigrades can survive extreme conditions and an Etruscan shrew can eat more than its own body weight in a day. Settings range from hydrothermal vents deep on the ocean floor to the savannahs of Africa and everything in between.

Captivating illustrations work with the multiple layers of text to pull readers in and entice their curiosity. The humor of an axolotl pulling off its own arm to lend a hand to a friend is just one example of why kids will find this book appealing. A sure hit for young readers who are always asking for more books on animals.

Due for publication on April 11. I read an advance copy provided by the publisher for review purposes.

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