Early Book Review: Eels by Rachel Poliquin; Nicholas John Frith

Eels by Rachel Poliquin; Nicholas John Frith is a children's nonfiction book currently scheduled for release on June 23 2020.  Meet Olenka, an ordinary eel. Did I hear you say, “But aren’t eels just long slippery slimy fishy-things that . . . hmm.   Is there anything else to know about eels?” You bet your buttons there is! Sit back and hold on tight, because Olenka is going to amaze you with superpowers such as double invisibility and shape-shifting, and the super secret Lair of the Abyss  (that means a top-secret deep-sea hideout). In fact, Olenka's life is so impossibly extraordinary, it has baffled the smartest scientists in the world for thousands of years. 

Eels is a book with a lively blend of information, narrative, illustration, and science. I never thought much about eels, and thought I knew everything that I needed to. Well, this book proved me wrong very quickly. I enjoyed learning about the strange skills of the eel, and how they change to move and survive. I thought the humor, interesting facts, and illustrations kept the text from feeling too dense, while I still learned a great deal. I am very glad that I requested this from Netgalley, and I think my daughter would love to add this book to our home collection. I really like the inclusion of a glossary and resources for further research, which includes books for adults and websites. This is the forth book in a series about animals and their unique skills. I have not yet read the others, but after this I think I will. 

Eels is an informative and entertaining read that I never knew I wanted. I think it will appeal to a wide range of readers and would be a great addition to libraries and school collections. 

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