2005 Award Finalists
Lupe: a wolf pup's first year
Text by Rebecca L. Grambo, Photography by Daniel J. Cox
Reviewed by Dr. Paul V. Switzer, Eastern Illinois University
Lupe is the ABS OUTSTANDING CHILDREN'S BOOK AWARD RECIPIENT for 2005. The story chronicles the first year of a wolf pup's life. In the process, the reader finds out fascinating information about wolf behavior. Information on other aspects of Yellowstone National Park is also integrated, such as the natural history of other animals (e.g. magpies, river otters, and elk) and plants (e.g. lodgepole pines) and information on the Park’s geology (e.g. hot springs). The text is accompanied by beautiful photographs of wolves and of Yellowstone. The wolves "talk" in the book, which may be objectionable to some who prefer books with a more natural approach, but our adult reviewers found the book to be enjoyable and accurate and our children reviewers liked "how the wolves could talk" and thought the pictures were "wonderful".
Animal groups: how animals live together
Text by Etta Kaner, Illustrations by Pat Stephens
Review by Dr. Abby L. Schwarz, Langara College
Etta Kaner's writing in Animal Groups is informative, engaging and cheerful, and Pat Stephens' accurate and colourful illustrations add to the book's charm. Many aspects of grouping behavior are covered for a wide variety of animals, including parental behavior, playing, anti-predator behavior, and grooming. Kaner sustains interest in the topic by weaving clear and simple questions into her stories, and continually draws parallels between the activities of her subjects and those of children. Children liked the quality and quantity of information, found it "easy to understand," and found the illustrations "good and realistic." (Note: there is a captioning error on p. 15: "song sparrow" and "male parula warbler" should be reversed).
Baby Ground Squirrel
Text by Aubrey Lang, Photography by Wayne Lynch
Reviewed by Dr. Paul V. Switzer, Eastern Illinois University
Baby Ground Squirrel follows the first season of life for a litter of Richardson's ground squirrels, from the initial conception to right before hibernation. This book describes their development, anti-predator behavior, feeding behavior, burrow layout, and hibernation, all at a level that is appropriate for children new to such ideas. The book also has an informative "Did you know?" section at the end that provides more detail on ground squirrel biology. Throughout, Lynch's photography provides excellent photographs to illustrate the ideas being presented in the text. Our children reviewers loved the pictures and the facts the book presented on the life cycle of the ground squirrel.
Rain, Rain, Rainforest
Text by Brenda Guiberson, Illustrated by Steve Jenkins
Review by Dr. Christopher Cratsley, Fitchburg State College
Splitter, splat splash! These three words mark the beginning of the tale of a few days in a rain forest in the book Rain, Rain, Rain Forest. The sounds of raindrops, animals and even human activity combine with beautiful illustrations to make the rainforest come alive for the reader. The narrative follows the patterns of rainfall and the behaviors of a number of different animals including a tree sloth, monkeys, poison dart frogs, and leaf-cutter ants as they interact with each other, with the plants of the rainforest, and with the rain itself. The descriptions of the behavior of the animals of the rain forest, though brief, are accurate and provide insight into how these animals survive in this unique environment. The story places human behavior in a similar context, describing how local villagers and researchers can observe animal behavior and learn to use the natural products of the jungle for medicines or other purposes. This book provides a short but engaging glimpse into the biology of the rain forest, making it an excellent jumping off point for children and adults to discuss animal behavior, the environment, and how we as humans interact with our environment. It is a credit to the book's realism that one class of children who read it were concerned about the capture of a monkey by an eagle in the book, and their teacher used this opportunity to discuss predation with them in the classroom.
