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Creature Features: Twenty-Five Animals Explain Why They Look the Way They Do
Dear axolotl: Why do you have feathers growing out of your head? Axolotl: They aren't feathers—they're gills! They let me breathe underwater.
Let's face it. Even as babies, we humans pay close attention to faces. Observing another person's features and expressions tells us whether they are happy, angry, excited, or sad. And when we look at an animal, it's hard not to imagine that its face is communicating human feelings. This isn't true, of course. Squinty eyes, an upturned mouth, or another odd expression is probably there because, in some way, it helps that animal survive. Packed with many cool facts and visuals on where certain animals live and what they eat, this book captures twenty-five humorous—and very true—explanations of why animals look the way they do in order to exist in this world.
Let's face it. Even as babies, we humans pay close attention to faces. Observing another person's features and expressions tells us whether they are happy, angry, excited, or sad. And when we look at an animal, it's hard not to imagine that its face is communicating human feelings. This isn't true, of course. Squinty eyes, an upturned mouth, or another odd expression is probably there because, in some way, it helps that animal survive. Packed with many cool facts and visuals on where certain animals live and what they eat, this book captures twenty-five humorous—and very true—explanations of why animals look the way they do in order to exist in this world.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published October 7, 2014
5 people are currently reading
563 people want to read
About the author
Steve Jenkins
135 books238 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 - 30 of 183 reviews
August 25, 2017
Using his typical cut paper collage illustrations, Jenkins focuses here on animals with unusual physical features, and provides explanations for each as to the practical reasons for these features. The text takes the form of questions posed to the animals, along with their answers. I wouldn't consider this one of Jenkins' best, but I liked it nonetheless and learned a few things from it as well. For example, I'd never heard of a babirusa or a thorny devil. At the back of the book a two-page spread shows the animals in comparative size with a man, and lists what they eat and shows where on the map they come from. Tapirs are way bigger than I thought! So I have to recommend this, just because it's a Steve Jenkins book, which is always interesting.
April 5, 2017
I have to admit, I was originally drawn to this book because the front cover features a panda, which is my favorite animal. The whole book is not about pandas, but you will not regret reading this book. Steve Jenkins & Robin Page found a wonderful way to ask physical feature questions directly to 25 different animals. It will teach a little bit about each one.
The pictures are absolutely stunning which will make children more and more excited to turn the page. The featured animals range in this book from fish to bears and quite a few things in between. I even learned about a creature called axolotl that I had never heard of before. Each page has a face to face illustration with the animal and asks it a question about its most unique feature. For example, the panda is asked "Dear giant panda: Who gave you those black eyes?" The panda is then able to explain why his eyes are black and how it helps him.
I would use this as an informational book for students in grades K-3. For K-1, students will be learning about wants and needs. As a class we could read this book aloud and sort all the features into categories of why these are needs for the animals. Each feature could fall into a category of protection, to help with food, or mating. For students in 2-3, the book gives enough information to grab the readers attention but also may leave them wanting more. This book can be used to encourage students to research more on the creature they found most interesting and write their own research paper.
The pictures are absolutely stunning which will make children more and more excited to turn the page. The featured animals range in this book from fish to bears and quite a few things in between. I even learned about a creature called axolotl that I had never heard of before. Each page has a face to face illustration with the animal and asks it a question about its most unique feature. For example, the panda is asked "Dear giant panda: Who gave you those black eyes?" The panda is then able to explain why his eyes are black and how it helps him.
I would use this as an informational book for students in grades K-3. For K-1, students will be learning about wants and needs. As a class we could read this book aloud and sort all the features into categories of why these are needs for the animals. Each feature could fall into a category of protection, to help with food, or mating. For students in 2-3, the book gives enough information to grab the readers attention but also may leave them wanting more. This book can be used to encourage students to research more on the creature they found most interesting and write their own research paper.
December 18, 2014
Look right into the eyes of 25 animals as they answer a question about why they look the way that they do. The animals range from sun bears to various birds to giraffes to frogs and fish. With each turn of the page there is a new animal looking straight at you, ready to explain the feature that is their most unusual. That explanation is filled with just enough scientific information to be fascinating and to inspire more exploration of the animal. The paragraphs are short enough to be shared with even quite young children who are fascinated by animals. This is a great addition to even the most crowded of animal shelves.
Filled with Jenkins’ trademark cut paper art, this is an exquisite look at each animal, some of which you may never have seen straight on from the front like the mole rat or the shoebill stork. The unique point of view makes for unusual images of these animals that make you look at them in a different way. Wonderfully, Jenkins manages to make each meet your eyes in a distinct way that matches their species. See how long you can lock gazes with the ferocious ones!
One that will be read again and again by young animal lovers, this book deserves a spot in every public library. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
Filled with Jenkins’ trademark cut paper art, this is an exquisite look at each animal, some of which you may never have seen straight on from the front like the mole rat or the shoebill stork. The unique point of view makes for unusual images of these animals that make you look at them in a different way. Wonderfully, Jenkins manages to make each meet your eyes in a distinct way that matches their species. See how long you can lock gazes with the ferocious ones!
One that will be read again and again by young animal lovers, this book deserves a spot in every public library. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
February 7, 2015
With its distinct torn- and cut-paper illustrations and somewhat snarky voice, this picture book will have plenty of appeal for anyone interested in the ever-fascinating animal kingdom. Twenty-five animals with unique features--a purple tongue, a colorful nose, a featherless face, a very large beak, for instance--reveal the reasons for those unusual physical aspects. By setting the book up as a short question ["Why are you so spiny?" (unpaged)], followed by a quick response, readers can gain information quickly and in an appealing fashion. It turns out that all those odd things about animals have a good explanation behind them. Readers won't learn a great deal about each animal, but this one is sure to prompt many of them to search for more information online or in their classroom library. I liked the back matter with scale outlines of the animals featured in the book alongside their preferred diet. As I've said repeatedly about this particular husband and wife team, they never fail to deliver, and their books are must-haves for school and classroom libraries. Nobody does this sort of thing better than Steve Jenkins.
January 5, 2017
My library group was very interested in this title. I had a few boys, practically fighting over it when I finished reading it. Fascinating facts about animals with terrific pictures. Sections at the back with more info for stronger readers provide an extension for higher grades and there were a lot of jumping off points for research as well.
April 25, 2021
The work of Steve Jenkins and Robin Page are WOWs on their own! I usually don't go for non-fictions texts but I was actually excited to read this one. This team is unbeatable when it comes to nonfiction texts pertaining to animals. In this particular book titled, Creature Features: Twenty-Five Animals Explain Why They Look the Way They Do, they explain why certain animals look and behave the way they do. The art alone is also a wow for me, with their combined paper and digital style that draws you in. This book is on a fourth grade lexile reading level but would be appropriate for any older elementary read aloud or potential individual reading book.
I think this text would be excellent to use to research animal behaviors and habitats for a fourth grade ecosystems unit. This book could be used as a launch for a research project. Students could choose one of the animals in the book or one of their own and do research about how the animal has changed to adapt to its environment. I would also use this as a writing assignment for letters. In the book, each animal gets a “letter” with an inquiring question and a response to the question. I would have students write a question to other students in the class and those students would respond.
I can’t get enough of Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. I want all of their books for my classroom! I would say this book is a WOW for me because of how much research and detail they pour into their work. It is evident in their final product and makes you feel excited to read. I think we need more books like that in the classroom.
I think this text would be excellent to use to research animal behaviors and habitats for a fourth grade ecosystems unit. This book could be used as a launch for a research project. Students could choose one of the animals in the book or one of their own and do research about how the animal has changed to adapt to its environment. I would also use this as a writing assignment for letters. In the book, each animal gets a “letter” with an inquiring question and a response to the question. I would have students write a question to other students in the class and those students would respond.
I can’t get enough of Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. I want all of their books for my classroom! I would say this book is a WOW for me because of how much research and detail they pour into their work. It is evident in their final product and makes you feel excited to read. I think we need more books like that in the classroom.
April 6, 2017
The kiddos in my life loved this book. They lingered over the illustrations and savored the explanations. It was delightful.
December 20, 2018
Cute book and I learned some new things! This seems like a great book to use to teach questions and answers as part of a habitat unit, too!
January 24, 2018
I've always wanted to see how Steve Jenkins creates his illustrations, so I was excited to visit this site:
http://www.stevejenkinsbooks.com/crea...
I found that to be very interesting, but not exactly what I was hoping for regarding the creation of the illustrations. It gave a link to a video which did show me what I wanted to see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhJ1w...
I think both would work great to show students the process for creating a book. I love that he says he "often goes through 10, 12 or sometimes 20 drafts" before he is satisfied. It's often difficult to get students to write more than one draft!
http://www.stevejenkinsbooks.com/crea...
I found that to be very interesting, but not exactly what I was hoping for regarding the creation of the illustrations. It gave a link to a video which did show me what I wanted to see:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhJ1w...
I think both would work great to show students the process for creating a book. I love that he says he "often goes through 10, 12 or sometimes 20 drafts" before he is satisfied. It's often difficult to get students to write more than one draft!
October 18, 2019
I love this book. It was so interesting, and it made you want to research each to see where each animal is located. I was pleasantly surprised by the maps of where these animals live and what they eat on the last 2 pages. This would be a great book for teaching Geography, continents, comprehension and adaptations as well as for the fun facts about animals. It makes learning fun!
January 12, 2015
We love reading books by Steve Jenkins and we really get excited when we find a new one at our local library. This book highlights a particular adaptation for twenty five different animals and explains the purpose or reason for the adaptation.
It is a humourous book to read aloud and while it is educational, it really only helps to show that evolutionary adaptations occur for a reason. The reader doesn't really very gain much knowledge about any of the animals, but we did discover a few animals that we'd never heard of before (like a babirusa).
The illustrations are marvelous, as we've come to expect in books by Mr. Jenkins. And the narrative is short enough to keep a child's attention and would probably work for a group read.
I like the graphic depiction of each animal shown at the same scale in comparison to an adult human, so children can get an idea of their relative size. The maps showing where each animal lives are handy, too, although they are so small that it was sometimes a bit difficult to discern exactly which country is highlighted. It's good to see the general areas in which they live.
Overall, this is a fun book to read aloud with children and we really enjoyed reading it together.
It is a humourous book to read aloud and while it is educational, it really only helps to show that evolutionary adaptations occur for a reason. The reader doesn't really very gain much knowledge about any of the animals, but we did discover a few animals that we'd never heard of before (like a babirusa).
The illustrations are marvelous, as we've come to expect in books by Mr. Jenkins. And the narrative is short enough to keep a child's attention and would probably work for a group read.
I like the graphic depiction of each animal shown at the same scale in comparison to an adult human, so children can get an idea of their relative size. The maps showing where each animal lives are handy, too, although they are so small that it was sometimes a bit difficult to discern exactly which country is highlighted. It's good to see the general areas in which they live.
Overall, this is a fun book to read aloud with children and we really enjoyed reading it together.
October 12, 2016
25 animals are featured as they explain one of their unusual features. Each page begins with a question and then gives the animal's answer. For example, the horned frog is asked why his mouth is so big. He answers that he doesn't have teeth so he swallows prey whole...mice, lizards, spiders or insects...anything that will fit in his mouth. The bearded seal is asked if his whiskers tickle and he says no but they help him feel along the bottom of the ocean for crabs, clams and other food. A couple of unusual/lesser known animals are featured such as the axolotl and the blobfish. The end contains a page that shows the animals to scale and shows a map of where they live and tells their diet. I wish it included a bibliography or additional facts about the animals because several are unfamiliar to me and I would like to know more. I can, of course, do the research to learn more but I would love if more information or at least suggestions for further reading were included.
November 5, 2014
The format here is quite entertaining with each animal answering a question about an unusual feature that they have which results in some amusing answers. Such as the mandrill (baboon) who tells the reader that his bright nose is to tell other mandrills males not to mess with him, but who doesn't want to talk about his colorful rear end. The questions are also phrased in an enjoyable way such as the question addressed to the red fan parrot:
"Where did you get that funny hat?"
The answer?
"I'm not wearing a hat. Those are my feathers. When I'm frightened, I fan them out to make me look larger and more intimidating."
As for the illustrations, they are typical Steve Jenkins: AWESOME! This is a book that would be perfect for sharing in a group or one on one. The maps and size comparisons at the end are a nice bonus.
"Where did you get that funny hat?"
The answer?
"I'm not wearing a hat. Those are my feathers. When I'm frightened, I fan them out to make me look larger and more intimidating."
As for the illustrations, they are typical Steve Jenkins: AWESOME! This is a book that would be perfect for sharing in a group or one on one. The maps and size comparisons at the end are a nice bonus.
April 20, 2015
Creature features uphold the knowledge and adventure of learning about 25 different animals from all over the world rather they are underwater, land or both. As you read through the book you see the picture of the animal with a question about its features following through to the answer of the question. Now half of the animals in the book I did not know of and being able to see the visual pictures of the animals helped out a lot. At the end of the book there is a grey figure of the animals we learned before and it shows you where they are located on the world and their region. Steve Jenkins, The writer and Illustrator does a beautiful job on giving us a lesson that we would normally learn in the classroom than our own home. This book was over all amazing to me and I would recommend this book to anyone who has a interest in animals or curiosity of adventure.
December 8, 2014
Steve Jenkins and Robin Page may just be some of my new favorite authors. As all of Jenkins' books are beautifully illustrated, this one is remarkably done. The students in my class absolutely loved this book! I really like the perspective that this text takes makes it highly intriguing the reader. It makes the reader think about the picture and listen to the facts to figure out why the animal looks the way they do. The content of the book is also very interesting and for my 2nd grade students "very cool". I have to say I learned a lot by reading this story too! Great book and I can't wait to make it a part of my classroom.
January 20, 2015
Fabulous collage illustrations show unusual animals as they explain the purposes of their unique features. Each page begins with a question posed to an animal who explains the purpose. This book is both humorous and informational. Maps show the habitat of each animal with information about their diet and size. The book also includes references and a website with additional information about the creation of the book.
October 11, 2015
Hold on to your hats people....a five star..is this a mistake? A fluke? Me in a goo mood?
Well maybe all of the above but this book has all the elements I love in a book!
Great pictures ( I love that pieced collage art...my favorite in children's books right now)
I love the information and details!
I found myself googling some of theses animals just to get a real picture of what they are!
I might nominate this for the Information Beehive Book Award!
Well maybe all of the above but this book has all the elements I love in a book!
Great pictures ( I love that pieced collage art...my favorite in children's books right now)
I love the information and details!
I found myself googling some of theses animals just to get a real picture of what they are!
I might nominate this for the Information Beehive Book Award!
July 1, 2015
Slightly irreverent in tone, but kids will enjoy the humor. My favorite: "Dear madrill: Why is your nose so colorful?
My bright red and blue nose tells other madrills that I'm a full-grown male monkey, so they'd better not mess with me. My rear end is pretty colorful too, but I'd rather not talk about that."
As always Steve Jenkin's illustrations are super.
My bright red and blue nose tells other madrills that I'm a full-grown male monkey, so they'd better not mess with me. My rear end is pretty colorful too, but I'd rather not talk about that."
As always Steve Jenkin's illustrations are super.
February 4, 2015
I continue to marvel at the amazing paper collage artwork of Steve Jenkins, but what I especially love about Creature Features is the conversational nature of the text with a jovial question and answer format. It's definitely a fun AND educational book for kids.
October 16, 2014
Question and Answer structure is informative and at times humorous in this winner by husband & wife team, Jenkins and Page.
October 6, 2014
Another superb nature book from these consistently excellent husband and wife collaborators.
April 21, 2015
Library copy
June 24, 2015
Appreciate the clever format of the book. Learned a lot too.
April 20, 2020
"Creature Features" is a must read informational book for any 3-5 classroom! It is a super fun book that can be implemented in the classroom in so many ways! One idea is to have students choose an animal in the book and ask another question about a feature that was not discussed already. Students will research the question and write about it in the question-and-answer dialogue format that Steve Jenkins used in his story. This is a great way for students to learn more about animals and their adaptations and to practice their research and writing skills. Another idea for implementation is to have students practice prosody, which is a very important aspect of fluency. The teacher will assign each student an animal that's in the story. Students will have the chance to practice their "part" and choose the voice they think best fits their animal. During a class read aloud, each student will have their chance to read their animal's response. This is a great way for students to practice reading with expression and gives opportunities for rereading, another important part of fluency instruction!
This was a WOW book for me because of how creative and fun it was to read! Instead of merely informing students about different features of animals, Jenkins writes in a fun question and answer format. Every child will enjoy reading the answers from all the different animals! It's the perfect book for read alouds, and makes learning super engaging for students.
This was a WOW book for me because of how creative and fun it was to read! Instead of merely informing students about different features of animals, Jenkins writes in a fun question and answer format. Every child will enjoy reading the answers from all the different animals! It's the perfect book for read alouds, and makes learning super engaging for students.
February 10, 2020
February 9th, 2020
Creature Features is a nonfiction picture book meant for ages 4-8 years. The book features 25 animals with distinctive features and tells why they have them and how they use them. I typically don't have as much fun reading nonfiction stories but this book made learning fun. The illustrations of each animal features their weird appearance and the author asks about it in a funny way. For example when talking to the leaf-nosed bat the speaker asks “Seriously, is that your nose?”. This approach allows the reader to be entertained while also learning fun new facts about these funny looking animals. The illustrations show accurate descriptions of these animals and highlight the weird features that the readers are learning about. I also like that at the end of the book the animals are shown to scale alongside an adult human. This helps readers understand the size of these animals as they learn about them. This page also includes where in the world the animal lives and their typical diet, helping us learn even more about these cool animals. This is a quick, easy, and informative read. I think it will appeal to young readers because it turns something typically boring into something fun and exciting.
Creature Features is a nonfiction picture book meant for ages 4-8 years. The book features 25 animals with distinctive features and tells why they have them and how they use them. I typically don't have as much fun reading nonfiction stories but this book made learning fun. The illustrations of each animal features their weird appearance and the author asks about it in a funny way. For example when talking to the leaf-nosed bat the speaker asks “Seriously, is that your nose?”. This approach allows the reader to be entertained while also learning fun new facts about these funny looking animals. The illustrations show accurate descriptions of these animals and highlight the weird features that the readers are learning about. I also like that at the end of the book the animals are shown to scale alongside an adult human. This helps readers understand the size of these animals as they learn about them. This page also includes where in the world the animal lives and their typical diet, helping us learn even more about these cool animals. This is a quick, easy, and informative read. I think it will appeal to young readers because it turns something typically boring into something fun and exciting.
April 17, 2020
Creature Features: Twenty-Five Animals Explain Why They Look the Way They Do by Steve Jenkins is a non-fiction picture book that includes interviews with 25 different animals. Each of the animals is asked about a physical feature that is unique to them. The illustrations are breathtakingly realistic and will make readers even more excited to turn to the next page. The animals in this book range from fish to bears and many different and interesting species in between. I would use this as an informational book for students in grades K-1. This was a wow book for me because not only did it include unusual animals that I had never seen before but the interview structure was a fun way to learn so many new and interesting facts. I think this would be a very engaging read-aloud that students would thoroughly enjoy!
November 28, 2020
I really loved this book. It's questions that children and even adults may wonder about animals. Not only does answering the questions from the perspective of the animal give it personality but it also portrays some scary animals as friendly. The facts are quick and interesting keeping the reader engaged. There is even more information at the end of the book giving you an idea of where each species live and to scale of how big they are compared to humans.
You gotta love the little quips too:
"Dear mandrill: Why is your nose so colorful?"
"My bright red and blue nose tells other mandrills that I'm a full-grown male monkey, so they'd better not mess with me. My rear end is pretty colorful too, but I'd rather not talk about that."
or better yet
"Dear blobfish: What on earth happened to you?"
You gotta love the little quips too:
"Dear mandrill: Why is your nose so colorful?"
"My bright red and blue nose tells other mandrills that I'm a full-grown male monkey, so they'd better not mess with me. My rear end is pretty colorful too, but I'd rather not talk about that."
or better yet
"Dear blobfish: What on earth happened to you?"
April 19, 2019
This information text book analyzes different types of animal features and explores their benefits to their survival. The book explains 25 features in a fun, engaging way by having the reader / author interact with the animals themselves. The animals chosen are not typical animals that students may know already and they are illustrated in beautiful pictures. I would suggest using this book in any grade level, lower to upper elementary. This book lends well to the EL curriculum of 1st grade where students explore the features of birds, but also connected well to 5th grade science standards of exploring human anatomy.
This is a WOW book for me because the book is very informational, but extremely engaging and fun for students to read. I have never read a book like this before and Steve Jenkins has a plethora of other informational texts.
This book can be used in many different ways in your classroom. I like the idea of using this book as a guide for students to research and explore other animals’ features for themselves. I think it would be fun for students to choose an animal they are interested in and allow them to recreate and extend this book further. You could even make your copy of the book and keep it in your classroom library.
Another way you could use this book could be in a 5th grade classroom during the 5th grade unit on anatomy. Students could compare some of the animal features mentioned in the text to their own bodies and explain how some of our features are beneficial to our surviving. Students could write their own entries where they pretend to be an animal asking a human why we look the way we do.
I accessed this book online and it is great to use in your classroom even if you don’t have a physical copy of it.
This is a WOW book for me because the book is very informational, but extremely engaging and fun for students to read. I have never read a book like this before and Steve Jenkins has a plethora of other informational texts.
This book can be used in many different ways in your classroom. I like the idea of using this book as a guide for students to research and explore other animals’ features for themselves. I think it would be fun for students to choose an animal they are interested in and allow them to recreate and extend this book further. You could even make your copy of the book and keep it in your classroom library.
Another way you could use this book could be in a 5th grade classroom during the 5th grade unit on anatomy. Students could compare some of the animal features mentioned in the text to their own bodies and explain how some of our features are beneficial to our surviving. Students could write their own entries where they pretend to be an animal asking a human why we look the way we do.
I accessed this book online and it is great to use in your classroom even if you don’t have a physical copy of it.
December 1, 2017
Many animals have very distinct features and children often want to know why. In this picture book animals are asked questions about the way they look. Each page has a different animal answering a specific question. Readers will learn why mandrills have such colorful noses and why a puffer fish gets so big. It's a clever way to present an information book. Readers will be drawn to the life-like illustrations and funny comments from animals as they answer the questions. This book is a great way to expose young children to informational texts. I would recommend it for kindergarten and up.
July 3, 2018
I’ve yet to be disappointed by a Jenkins/Page book. This one gives strange, exotic animals with unique appearances a voice to explain the hidden value in their misunderstood body parts. The animals speak directly to the reader in response to the question and do so in a dry, humorous, or no-nonsense way. They are proud of who they are.
We always the cut paper illustrations of Jenkins’s nonfiction is so cool. Check out his website for a video of how he makes one of his illustrations. I love showing the students when reading his books.
We always the cut paper illustrations of Jenkins’s nonfiction is so cool. Check out his website for a video of how he makes one of his illustrations. I love showing the students when reading his books.
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