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Slap, Squeak and Scatter: How Animals Communicate
A beaver slaps its tail on the water to warn other beavers of approaching danger. A mother bat returning to the cave can locate her baby among two or three million other bats by using a special cry. And the male hippopotamus marks his territory by spinning his tail and scattering his dung.
These are just a few of the unusual ways animals communicate with one another. This beautifully illustrated work by noted author and illustrator Steve Jenkins describes many more fascinating and curious ways of animal communication.
These are just a few of the unusual ways animals communicate with one another. This beautifully illustrated work by noted author and illustrator Steve Jenkins describes many more fascinating and curious ways of animal communication.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 30, 2001
1 person is currently reading
56 people want to read
About the author
Steve Jenkins
150 books241 followersSteve 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 5, 2012
I am so happy to have discovered Steve Jenkins' books. Not only are they informative but the illustrations are beautifully done. These books are wonderful ones to introduce children to science and the world of nature. Jenkins is the author of a multitude of great books.
January 28, 2026
Why is this so scarcely held? I had to order it ILL and it came from a university library. It's not the best Jenkins I've ever read, but given his popularity (deserved!) I'm surprised. If you like him, and are interested in chaffinchs' repertoires, flashlight fishes' trickiness, and hippos' territorial strategy, etc., see if your library has this.
October 22, 2012
Slap, Squeak & Scatter: How Animals Communicate
Steve Jenkins
Grade: 3
Content:
> Discusses the different ways animals communicate with one another
This is a good book for a teacher to read to a 3rd grade class. The book can help the students to generate an understanding that animals communicate with those in their species just like human communicate with one another. The teacher can explain that many times the communication helps animals to survive and thrive in their environment.
Steve Jenkins
Grade: 3
Content:
> Discusses the different ways animals communicate with one another
This is a good book for a teacher to read to a 3rd grade class. The book can help the students to generate an understanding that animals communicate with those in their species just like human communicate with one another. The teacher can explain that many times the communication helps animals to survive and thrive in their environment.
June 18, 2012
I didn't know that male spiders have to communicate to female spiders that they aren't prey that got stuck on the web. Pretty pictures, as always.
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April 26, 2016Life Science
July 27, 2012
Great example of a misleading title!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews