Whose Bones?: An Animal Guessing Game

by Gabrielle Balkan, Sam Brewster (Artist)

A playful, informative introduction to bones for the youngest readers, by the team behind the bestselling Book of Bones Set up as a guessing game with visual and narrative clues,  Whose Bones?  invites the youngest readers to examine six animal skeletons and guess to whom they belong. The answers are provided in vibrant, foldout reveals, each accompanied by read-aloud text that explains why each animal's bones and bodies are so special. Ages 2-4

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

28 pages, Board Book

Published September 16, 2020

About the author

Gabrielle Balkan writes for readers of all ages, equally enjoying picture books and readers as chapter books and young adult fiction. Her works include The Dog Rules by Coco LaRue, a Scholastic Book Fairs best-seller that sold 150,000 copies and demanded a follow-up.

One of her first forays into writing nonfiction was “America is hard to See,” a children's audio guide for the the inaugural exhibit at the Whitney Museum of Art's Gansevoort location. The 50 States was Gabrielle's first non-fiction book and was followed by two companion books, two activity sets, one follow-up atlas: 50 Cities.

She's also the author of BOOK OF BONES (an International Literacy Association pick) and it's companion, BOOK OF FLIGHT (coming in Spring 2019).

Before embarking on a career as a full-time writer, Gabrielle was a book buyer for the Scholastic Reading Clubs, a commissioning editor for Scholastic Paperbacks, and the Director of Communications for City and Country School.

Gabrielle was raised across from the State Fair Grounds in Indianapolis, Indiana and lived short stints in Augusta, Georgia and Zurich, Switzerland. After graduating with a degree in English and Elementary Education from Barnard College she decided to see what else the city had to offer, and now lives with her family in Brooklyn.

Reviews

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A guessing game with lots of extra facts about the animals. Each reveal asks the reader to do something like that animal (move your neck, make your back in the shape of a C, etc.). Would be an excellent one to bring out in storytimes that have gone off the rails a bit, to focus attention and get kids participating and moving at the same time.

Great for ages 3 to 6.

[Kaylee Hodnefield · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book starts off by showing a Tyrannosaurus Rex's bones at a museum. It then explains that bones can tell you a lot about something. Then it goes on to show the human bones and then asks you to find different bones. Then lastly it goes through six different animals and shows their bones. The pictures of the bones are information and clues on what animal it belongs to. Then there is a flap that you can unfold that tells you what animal the bones belong to and some more information on the animal. The six different animals include a blue whale, a giraffe, a python, a bumblebee bat, an African bush elephant, and a chimpanzee.

I think this book could work for grades kindergarten to second grade. I think this grade range would work with this book because it has a lot of information on different animals. It is also a book where it is able to have students interact with it because the book is asking the students questions about what animals they think the bones belong to.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I liked how it was just a picture of the bones and then gave information on what animal it could be and then once you guess you can open the flap and there is a bright colorful picture of the animal that the bones belong to. I also like how the book is able to be interactive for students. It makes students think and is a book that can make students excited to learn.

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This fun and educational book for younger children is a great way to kick off Halloween. Six various bones are featured on the pages. Each page includes a skeleton and some fun clues about who those bones belong to. Then you can lift open the right page to feature the picture of the real animal in its natural habitat.

The skeleton pages are accurately drawn and the clues are fun. But, the pages of the animals in their habitat are so bright, it’s a shock to the eyes from the black and white pages before. It makes the high-contrast colors even more vivid.

Finding ways to talk about your child’s own body and their bones is a fun way to make this book even more educational. The first page in the book includes a human skeleton and asks your child to find their bones.

Books make learning fun and this one offers children answers to their curious questions. Kids will learn about how certain animals are similar to us and how some are different. You can even have conversations about the animal’s habitat and why their bones and body are created to bend and move that way. It’s never too early to spark an interest in learning in even our youngest readers.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

starts out showing a human skeleton which is made of bones. then it shows an animal skeleton that has a part labeled. it has 2 sentences with skeleton facts and then it gives 3 clues and says Who am I? then you lift the flap and it shows the animal and gives more facts about that animal. very cool I think it's more for preschoolers not toddlers

[Nancy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good job relating animal bones to human bones.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would be good for a storytime.

[Cyril · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our 4-year-old LOVED the guessing element of this book.

[Capn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Would be 5 stars if it was twice as long. Unfortunately truncated to fit a physical format..