Synopses & Reviews
From the creators of the Caldecott Honor Book
Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems comes a celebration of ubiquitous life forms among us. Newbery Honor-winning poet Joyce Sidman presents another unusual blend of fine poetry and fascinating science illustrated in exquisite hand-colored linocuts by Caldecott Honor artist Beckie Prange.
Ubiquitous (yoo-bik-wi-tuhs): Something that is (or seems to be) everywhere at the same time.
Why is the beetle, born 265 million years ago, still with us today? (Because its wings mutated and hardened). How did the gecko survive 160 million years? (By becoming nocturnal and developing sticky toe pads.) How did the shark and the crow and the tiny ant survive millions and millions of years? When 99 percent of all life forms on earth have become extinct, why do some survive? And survive not just in one place, but in many places: in deserts, in ice, in lakes and puddles, inside houses and forest and farmland? Just how do they become ubiquitous?
Review
"Combining striking illustrations, evocative poems that do double duty as riddles and lucid prose commentary, this venture into the natural world stands out for both its beauty and its unusual approach." Kirkus Reviews, Starred
Review
"In this plunge into the deep, Jenkins displays his usual keen awareness of what is fascinating about biology and imparts it without sensationalism—the facts speak for themselves . . Sophisticated cut- and torn-paper collage-work fit the alien qualities of the subjects well; it’s equally at home capturing the tiered needlepoints of lizardfish teeth as it isdelivering an impressive and illuminating display of bioluminescence."--
Booklist
“Browsers will be delighted by the variety of species, shown in their appropriate colors although not to scale. Backmatter provides some information about the animals pictured, including sizes compared to a human body or hand, although the bibliography does not seem to include the sources used for those facts. Once again, Jenkins provides an almost irresistible entry into our natural world for the youngest readers.”--Kirkus Reviews
"Jenkins takes his signature collage to the oceans, sinking readers from the surface of the Pacific Ocean down nearly 11,000 meters to the bottom of the Marianas Trench. His style works well here: with passage into each zone (from the surface to the sunlit zone to the twilight zone, etc.), the blue backgrounds shade darker and murkier, which allows the intricate cut-paper animal illustrations to pop."--Horn Book
"Depicted in Jenkins's signature handsome collages, the denizens of each level swim against ever-darkening backgrounds ranging from sunny blue to deepest black . . . The bold views tend to emphasize the weirdness of these little-known species, but the repeated message that humans have much to explore and learn in the deeper ocean is intriguing and inviting."--School Library Journal
"Through the almost magical use of cut paper, Jenkins takes the reader on a voyage from the surface to the sunlit shallows to the very bottom of the sea."--New York Times Book Review
“A must for any geography or natural history collection, this will be a great preparation for an aquarium visit or any discussion of ecology. More than that, however, it manages to convey the fact that most of our world is very, very different from what we experience, and that there may be nothing so strange and wonderful as our own planetary home.”--The Bulletin, starred review
Review
"The open-ended quality of the verse and the visual nature of the subject create plenty of opportunities for the art. The striking scratchboard illustrations use black lines, shapes, and crosshatched shading on white backgrounds to create strong compositions, while watercolor washes add subtle warmth and brilliance. . .There are, of course, many school uses for this, but just reading it aloud at home will make the everyday fascinating."and#8212;Booklist, starred review
"The observations, from a few words to a couple sentences, are tucked neatly into Krommesand#8217;s gorgeous scratchboard spreads."and#8212;School Library Journal, starred review
"Exquisitely simple and memorable."and#8212;Kirkus, starred review
"From the endpapers that gather together all the spirals depicted to the spiraling text on the title page verso, this book is elegantly constructed, and as poetry, picture book, or nonfiction, a success in every way."and#8212;The Horn Book,and#160;starred review
"This is one of those rare childrenand#8217;s books that make you look at the physical world differently. . .spirals are beautifuland#8212;whether we see in them hints of infinity, the promise of unfolding potential, or the embodiment of mathematical perfection."and#8212;Publishers Weekly,and#160;starred review
Review
"The creators of the Caldecott Honor Book Song of the Waterboatman and Other Pond Poems (2005) offer another winning blend of poetry, science, and art in this picture-book collection that celebrates the Earthand#8217;s most resilient and long-lived species."and#8212;
Booklist, starred review and#160; "The team behind the Caldecott-Honor winning
Song of the Water Boatman pays tribute to biologically successful speciesand#8212;from mollusks and lichens to dandelions and sharksand#8212;in poems that appear in order of each animal's first appearance on earth (a striking, mazelike time line puts the billions of years into perspective)...Fascinating factual information appears on each page; the graceful integration of science and art results in a celebratory story of survival."and#8212;
Publishers Weekly, starred review and#160; "This volume of beautifully illustrated poems investigates the natural world, from the single-celled bacteria and diatom to the ever-present ant and dandelion. Well-researched science facts are paired with vivid poems to describe how these very special life-forms avoided extinction to become natureand#8217;s survivors...From the depiction of ant tunnels to the surprising perspective of blades of grass, the bold and colorful linocuts are incredibly detailed and successfully capture the essence of each creature as part of its larger environment. A delightful feast for the eyes, ears, and mind."and#8212;
School Library Journal, starred review and#160; "Sidman delights with another gorgeous collection of poems celebrating the natural world, this time focusing on species remarkable for their ability to adapt and thrive in an often-harsh world...The text is accompanied and frequently surrounded by Prangeand#8217;s arresting linocuts hand-colored with watercolor. Vibrant and compelling, the illustrations help create and sustain the sense of wonder that makes this collection truly special. Occupying the endpapers is an eye-opening timeline that marks the appearance of each species on a coiled string that strikingly dramatizes the long march of life on Earth. Lovely."and#8212;
Kirkus, starred review and#160; "From the creators of
Song of the Water Boatman and Other Pond Poems (rev. 5/05), fourteen additional deft poems extended by background information and entrancing illustrations...Prange drenches her bold linocuts in vivid watercolor-the translucent underside of a wave, a gorgeous sunset over a pack of ever-more-ubiquitous coyotes. She's master of both the precisely observed (dandelions from bud to seeds aloft) and the accurate impression (crows conversing)."and#8212;
Horn Book,
starred review
"It's a true collaboration. There's a back and forth to this book that you don't always feel in collections of poetry....It's certainly a beautiful book....Hold on to it."and#8212;Betsy Bird, Fuse #8 and#160;
Synopsis
Discover the hidden world of the meadow in this unique combination of poetry riddles and science wisdom. Beginning with the rising sun and ending with twilight, this book takes us on a tour through the fields, encouraging us to watch for a nest of rabbits, a foamy spittlebug, a leaping grasshopper, bright milkweed, a quick fox, and a cruising hawk.
Synopsis
Caldecott Honor–winning Steve Jenkins provides a top-to-bottom look at the ocean, from birds and waves to thermal vents and ooze.
Half the earth’s surface is covered by water more than a mile deep, but most of this watery world is a mystery to us. In fact, more people have stood on the surface of the moon than have visited the deepest spot in the ocean.
Come along as we travel
down,
down,
down,
from the surface to the bottom of the sea.
Along the way you can see jellyfish that flash like a neon sign, creatures with teeth so big, they can’t close their mouths, and even a squid as long as a bus, which battles to the death with a sperm whale, the largest predator on earth.
It’ll be a journey you won’t soon forget!
Synopsis
Why be afraid of the dark when there is so much to see? W.H. Beck brings the glowing world of bioluminescence to light in this young non-fiction picture book illustrated with stunning photographs.
Synopsis
Why be afraid of the dark when there is so much to see? Whether itandrsquo;s used to hunt, hide, find a friend, or escape an enemy, bioluminescenceandmdash;the ability to glowandmdash;is a unique adaptation in nature. In this fun and fascinating nonfiction picture book, join world-renowned photographers and biologists on their close encounters with the curious creatures that make their own light. Authorandrsquo;s note and bibliography included.
Synopsis
A Caldecott medalist and a Newbery Honor-winning poet celebrate the beauty and value of spirals.What makes the tiny snail shell so beautiful? Why does that shape occur in nature over and over againand#8212;in rushing rivers, in a flower bud, even inside your ear?
With simplicity and grace, Joyce Sidman's poetry paired with Beth Krommes's scratchboard illustrations not only reveal the many spirals in natureand#8212;from fiddleheads to elephant tusks, from crashing waves to spiraling galaxiesand#8212;but also celebrate the beauty and usefulness of this fascinating shape.
Synopsis
Newbery Honor-winning poet Joyce Sidman presents another unusual blend of fine poetry and fascinating science celebrating ubiquitous life forms among us. Illustrated by Caldecott Honor artist Beckie Prange in exquisite hand-colored linocuts.
About the Author
Steve Jenkins has written and illustrated many nonfiction picture books for young readers, including the Caldecott Honor-winning
What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? His books have been called stunning, eye-popping, inventive, gorgeous, masterful, extraordinary, playful, irresistible, compelling, engaging, accessible, glorious, and informative. He lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and frequent collaborator, Robin Page, and their children.
Steve Jenkins has written and illustrated many nonfiction picture books for young readers, including the Caldecott Honor-winning What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? His books have been called stunning, eye-popping, inventive, gorgeous, masterful, extraordinary, playful, irresistible, compelling, engaging, accessible, glorious, and informative. He lives in Boulder, Colorado with his wife and frequent collaborator, Robin Page, and their children.