This Book Is Full of Holes: From Underground to Outer Space and Everywhere in Between

K-Gr 3--This nonfiction picture book delves into many types of holes, including a piggybank, sewing needle, sinkhole, hole in the ozone, blowhole, and pores. Whether they are deep, shallow, big, or small, they are everywhere, and this book offers readers plenty of information on the topic. Every spread covers related holes. "A hole can form slowly/ or quickly" is about potholes and sinkholes while "There can be a lot of holes/ or just one" is about a sprinkler and a hose. The key word in each phrase uses a different font for emphasis. The colorful, cartoon-style digital illustrations use clean lines and never lose their grip on reality or venture into anthropomorphism. They are integral to the text as they clearly and often humorously show the hole or holes with helpful visual context. Each one appears in its own vignette. People are depicted with a variety of skin tones. For those who want to know more, a block of black text in a white box offers information about the hole pictured. These boxes are full of interesting and fun facts, but can be skipped for readers caught up in the main flow of information. The final pages contain a section with examples and explanations of relevant words and phrases (e.g., hole-in-one, loophole, etc.) and a list of further reading. VERDICT An easy-to-read concept book that is great for various ages and interest levels, and a welcome addition for all libraries.--Catherine Callegari