Move!

by Steve Jenkins, Robin Page

Animals move! Follow them as they swing, dance, float, leap, and slide from page to page, then learn why these animals move the way they do. Move! is a playful introduction to motion in the animal kingdom that invites young readers to guess some of the unusual ways that animals get around. Action is the name of the game, so Move!

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Nonfiction, Childrens, Science, Storytime, Nature

40 pages, Paperback

First published April 24, 2006

About the author

Steve was born in 1952 in Hickory, North Carolina. His father, who would become a physics professor and astronomer (and recently his co-author on a book about the Solar System), was in the military and, later, working on science degrees at several different universities. We moved often. Steve lived in North Carolina, Panama, Virginia, Kansas, and Colorado. Wherever he lived, he kept a menagerie of lizards, turtles, spiders, and other animals, collected rocks and fossils, and blew things up in his small chemistry lab.

Because he moved often, Steve didn't have a large group of friends, and he spent a lot of time with books. His parents read to him until he could read himself, and he became an obsessive reader.

His interest in science led me to believe that I'd be a scientist himself. At the last minute, he chose instead to go to art school in North Carolina, where he studied graphic design. After graduation he moved to New York City, where he worked in advertising and design, first in large firms and then with his wife, Robin Page, in their own small graphic design firm. Robin, also an author and illustrator, is his frequent collaborator — they've made sixteen children's books together.

Their daughter Page was born in 1986 and our son, Alec, two years later. They began reading to them when they were just a few months old, and Steve became interested in making children's books himself. My wife and I read to our two older children almost every night until hisdaughter was 12 or 13, long after they were reading on their own. It was, in many ways, the best part of the day.

In 1994 they moved to from New York City to Boulder, Colorado, where they work in a studio attached to their house, which was built in the 1880s and often functions as if it were still the 19th century.

Their youngest son, Jamie, was born in 1998. The questions his children asked over the years have been the inspiration for many of their books.

Librarian's Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.

Reviews

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

Steve Jenkins explains how animals move in different ways.
This would be a great kinetic storytime book (where you have the kids act out the actions with you). It's a bit longish for the toddler set, but as there is a different movement on each page, I think they'd stay entertained. You could have a big discussion during or afterwards about other animals that move in those ways. This also counts as nonfiction, so if your library likes to see you use nonfiction titles for storytime, consider this one.
Verdict: gonna try it.
Edited after storytime: This totally worked. I worried about having the kids stand up for so long, but they were very into it. 35 kids up and moving around, but as they were following the book with me, it didn't get chaotic as I worried it would. I saved this book for last, followed it up with several quieting rhymes, and then did the goodbye song. A wonderful book for storytime! 10/10, would do again.

[Melissa Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

All of Steve Jenkin's book are amazing, but this is my favorite. Readers will be intrigued by his wonderful cut-paper collages and fascinated by his clever layout. Using page turns to their full advantage, Jenkins shows us two animals that move in a particular way and two movements for each featured animal. Young children will fall in love with this title.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Subbing first grade this week. They really enjoyed this book. Adding books to help me think about the library I want to have once I become a teacher. :)

[Ashlyn Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so much fun and is so enjoyable! Litte children would have so much fun would this book and would be so intrigued by it! This book is very real by telling us and showing us how animals get around in the different ways that they do. This book is very logical because it is so real on how these animals actually "work." The artwork in this book just draws my attention and keeps me wanting to go further into the book! This book is a pop out book and actually "moves" just like the title of the book and I think that this idea is unique yet very cool! Great read for all ages (because I still think it is cool even at my age!)

[Gretchen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book does a great job of sharing all the different motions that animals can have. Swinging, walking, swimming, and diving are just a few of the motions. Most animals do two or more which makes it a great way to transition from animal to animal. The papercut illustrations are wonderful to show the movements and some of their habitats as well. I also love that this book uses some animals students are familiar with but many that they are not. In the back of the book, it provides additional information on the animals discussed in the book. I think this would be a great book to read for using more rich language in writing because there are so many wonderful words to use for movements.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Jenkins always hits a homerun. I love the connection between unlikely animal pairs: a praying mantis and a roadrunner, a spider and a polar bear, each pair connected by a form of movement. My 5 year old delighted in reading aloud the large print movement word and then attempting the lines of text. The repetitive pattern of the picture and movement word helped her tackle unknown words, which was very cool to see.
A great one by the Jenkins/Page duo. One of my top 3, for sure. Although I may have awarded 6-7 of their books that position so far... whatever, they’re awesome.

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Move by Steve Jenkins is a nonfiction children’s book. It’s age group is on a kindergarten interest level. This is a book all about how animals move. It explains how some walk, crawl, jump, slither and so much more. I rate this book at 5 out of 5 stars simply because it’s very informative but not boring. I feel that Move is truly appealing to young readers because children absolutely love animals, so they would be really interested and excited to learn how they move.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Talks about the many different ways animals move, and even shares some insight about why they move this way (to impress, to hunt...). This would be a great book for a lesson or story-time about movement ~ plenty of opportunity for the reader to act out what they are reading about. The last few pages of the book shares information about the animals mentioned in the story.

[Carolyn Jeziorski · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read aloud that really builds vocabulary through the words used to describe every animals’ movements. It would be fun to use with older kids, who could continue the story with other movements. I read this to preschoolers, and we moved around the library like the different animals after we read it.

[Charles Harold · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun little book about how different animals move about

This one falls on the simpler side of books, generally sticking to one sentence a page. It has great art, and it connects animals together through the way they move.

Overall its a harmless little read you'd probably find in Kindergarten or First Grade

[Janet · Rating 4 out of 5]

A picture book about how animals move that is beautiful and concise in its presentation. Sparse text that flows across the pages on the abundant white space which has about a dozen animals dancing, running, swimming, leaping across the pages.
Illustrations were made using collages of cut and torn paper. Jenkins and Page have made several beautiful and informative animal books together.

[Rebecca Caufman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read perfectly paced for primary children to show different words that describe movement. I like how at the end the author reviews all the words and asks the reader to think about how they move.

[Random Scholar · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent picture book that talks about the different ways animals move. This would be a great book for teaching science vocabulary to young students. I would recommend this to students in grades Kindergarten to third grade.

[Alysa Fenner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book did such a great job of transitioning from one animal to the next using a "move" word that represents something each animal does. It used some alliterations throughout, and on the final page it has a brief paragraph that goes into details about each animal featured in the book!

[Hillary Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Steve Jenkins is amazing! I've loved his work and will use Move! to keep our Media Movement lessons going in May. But, this is where I will bring in the difference between fiction vs. non-fiction (true facts). We'll have a blast learning about these animals!

[Mely · Rating 4 out of 5]

cute book. will get those kiddos moving. 😉

[Steve Ongley]

Read Aloud 5/31 Author Illustrator Celebration

[Emily Carlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different kinds of movement in the animal kingdom.

[Lynn Davidson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Different animals have different ways of moving. This book shows a few animals including two back pages of interesting facts about them. Fabulous illustrations.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great mentor text for a writing lesson on action verbs. Very attractive art.

[Colorado Buck · Rating 4 out of 5]

interesting book, lots of action words...

[Kylee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of good verbs and animal information. Use for early childhood movement lesson.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Animals move in different ways. Great action book for preschool or toddler storytimes.

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful illustrations. Lots of verbs.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of options for movement, but a little long for story time.

[Kerry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Digital copy is hard to read.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute board book with beautiful torn paper collage art pictures of animals and the ways they move.

[Catherine Litersky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent for learning about moving your body!

I enjoy the book thought it was fun to read! Great to teach children to understand how they can move around!

[Adela Bider · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent to teach newcomers action words

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute