Bees, Snails, & Peacock Tails

The pair behind "Birdsongs" tackles another science topicgeometry in the animal world. Whether addressing hexagonal beehive cells or a snail's spiral shell, brisk rhymes draw attention to nature's math, as in this description of moth wings' symmetry: Notice the colors/ and stunning 'eyes, '/ perfectly matched/ on either side. The layout of text frequently echoes the subject under discussion, e.g., words circle around the sphere of an inflated puffer fish or grow larger and bolder when pointing out, among peacock pairs, the male's the one with all the flair. Jenkins's cut-paper collages are every bit as stunning here as in his previous books. Striking color combinations make the illustrations pop. This inviting book is bound to spark more careful observation of the shapes and colors in the reader's natural world. Ages 3-7. "(Aug.)" Copyright 2008 Publishers Weekly Used with permission.

K-Gr 3This poetry picture book about patterns in nature has some spreads on which rhymes sing and artwork thrillsand others that disappoint. The peacock page delights readers with a Jenkins collage at his feathery best and these clever lines: "If you should meet a peacock pair, /the male's the one with all the flair./The female, who is rather plain, /is dazzled by his patterned train." In the spread about symmetry in moths' wing patterns, the insects' furry bodies seem to pop from the paper, but the text's attempt to rhyme "eyes" with "side" and "spring" with "wings" doesn't measure up. A clever spiral poem on the topshell snail is accompanied by a surprisingly flat and listless illustration. Awkward scanning in the rhymes throughout will make the book especially hard to read aloud without practice. Jarring in a book that is scientific in tone despite its poetic format is the statement that sea stars "grow back an arm/if they get into scrapes, /for they take such great pride/in their bright, starry shapes." One or two simple facts about the habits of each animal are included in the end matter. For an excellent poetic book about nature by this duo, try "Birdsongs" (S & S, 2007)."Ellen Heath, Easton Area Public Library, Easton, PA" Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.