Early Book Review: Rock? Plant? Animal?: How Nature Keeps Us Guessing by Etta Kaner, Brittany Lane

 Rock? Plant? Animal?: How Nature Keeps Us Guessing is a children's nonfiction book written by Etta Kaner and illustrated by Brittany Lane. It is currently scheduled for release on September 13 2022. This book is an interactive guessing game featuring nature’s most unusual adaptations and characteristics. Can you tell the difference between a rock, a plant, and an animal? While it might sound simple, the vast diversity of life on earth can throw us some serious curveballs! Sometimes, what looks like a plant is actually an animal. Other times, what looks like an animal is actually a plant! Even things that look like living creatures can turn out to be unique rocks. Each spread features a realistic illustration of either a puzzling critter, a perplexing plant, or a special stone. Every picture is accompanied by a simple prompt: rock, plant, or animal? The answer is revealed by turning the page to discover a beautifully detailed scene and a brief description of the “species.” Even for the most esteemed naturalists, the answers are hard to believe! Rock? Plant? Animal? lets its readers be detectives, encouraging curiosity and embracing surprise.

Rock? Plant? Animal? is a fun read with eye catching images that are well worth a look all on their own. I think young readers will engage with the text and interactive nature of the book while becoming a little more aware that nature does some very interesting things. The book could help the young readers, and the adults or older children that might be sharing the book with them, think a bit about how nature can surprise us and how things are not always what they seem. The book is fun and bright, and I think it will do a good job of capturing and keeping the attention of readers. I even saw a couple things that were new to me!

Book Review: World of Weird: A Creepy Compendium of True Stories by Tom Adams, Celsius Pictor

World of Weird: A Creepy Compendium of True Stories written by Tom Adams and illustrated by Celsius Pictor, It is a compellation of unusual and somewhat creepy artifacts and stories from the past framed as a 21st century a scientist uncovering their Victorian ancestor’s notebook in a box. The ancestor is Dr. McCreebor; an eminent explorer, philosopher, and collector of the very strange and truly creepy. Dr. McCreebor's book is filled with the dark and disturbing stories he has collected on his travels around the world. Discover the fascinating stories behind a series of objects, people, and places in every chapter. McCreebor writes from a Victorian perspective – and his descendant isn't afraid to write notes in the margins, bringing the science into the 21st century. Uncover Artificalia (man-made objects), Naturalia (natural creatures and beings), Spiritualis (the spirit world), ScelereSupplicium (crime and punishment), Scientifica (scientific tools), Magicae (magical objects), and Morteum (skulls, bodies, and more). Steampunk illustrator Celsius Pictor intricately illustrates McCreebor’s sketches, maps, records, and photographs. From shrunken heads to witches’ charms, saints’ blood to graverobbers’ remains, hangman’s salve to trepanning tools, this book is a peek into our grisly and macabre past.

World of Weird is a book that will appeal to readers of all ages that enjoy learning about some of the darker and stranger ideas in history. I did not find any of the stories or artifacts described to be terribly unknown or gruesome, as these are the types of historic nonfiction that I tend to gravitate toward, but some of the information might be new to other readers. I thought the urging of respect for the dead not taking chances in messing with ghosts or other people's beliefs to be very respectful and responsibly handled. I also thought that the text and illustrations were well suited to the subject matter and accessible to a wide range of readers. I found text and art are well paired to keep the readers attention, and are done in nice small subtopics so that no one looses interest of focus and can read the book in small doses if that is what works best for them. I liked that a glossary was included as well.  I think this book will see regular check outs in school and public libraries and be a favorite read for many. 

Early Book Review: Animal BFFs: Even Animals Have Best Friends! by Sophie Corrigan

Animal BFFs: Even Animals Have Best Friends!, written and illustrated by Sophie Corrigan, is currently scheduled for release on April 26 2022. Even animals have best friends, someone that’s always there for them through thick and thin, to help them out with all of the usual things that friends do. You know, like picking ticks off your back, letting you know when a lion is about to make you its dinner and helping you hunt down some tasty prey. The animal kingdom is full of odd couples that prove that sometimes it’s better to be together! Like the rhino and the African Oxpecker, the coyote and the badger, and the crocodile and the plover bird. Uncover some unlikely friendships from the world of animals and discover how creatures get through every day with a little help from their friends. This book is full of funny facts about animals and symbiotic relationships for children to explore.

Animal BFFs is an entertaining and informative read about animal partnership, most mutually beneficial but some decidedly one sided. I thought the illustrations were charming and fun, sometimes fairly realistic but other times having the animals playing games and acting more like people than they really do. I think the art and text are well balanced, and will keep the reader's attention focus on the book and looking to see what it next. I think young readers will really enjoy getting to see animals they know from animated movies get some time on the page here, and it will give them an additional level of interest in the read. I knew some of the information, but other pieces were new to me. I appreciated the glossary and further reading, although I felt like the reading list could have been expanded on a little bit. I think this book will be well received by its intended audience and would be a good resource in school, classroom, public and personal library collections. 

Early Book Review: Amazing Plants of the World by Stepanka Sekaninova

Amazing Plants of the World by Stepanka Sekaninova is currently scheduled for release on April 19 2022. This book tells readers all about forty one unusual plants that can literally take your breath away, or even eat you! Welcome to this botanical garden, where human feet have not trodden for many years. Actually, one has-or rather a pair of them have. They belong to a passionate botanist who spends all his time in the company of flowers. He does not seem interested in people, as he feels himself to be a plant rather than a member of the species homo sapiens. He may seem strange-or even scary, like anything unknown-but rest assured that he is completely harmless just like his plants are that is unless you’re a fly or a beetle, which his carnivorous plants love to eat. No worries, those meat lovers might possibly snatch at your snack if you have a ham sandwich or a sausage in your bag, but that’s all. Though some of the plants from this forgotten botanical garden look predatory at first sight, even spooky, they are still just plants that can never catch you. 

Amazing Plants of the World is a fun and creatively illustrated book about some particularly plants. I think this book will catch and hold the attention of readers. The text is informative, but also a great deal of fun. I think the use of humor, high energy, and just plan fun text and illustrations work together very well to capture and hold the attention of young readers. There was a great deal of interesting information, and the quality of the artwork was absolutely wonderful. I think event he youngest readers will enjoy looking through this book for the artwork alone.  I like that there is an index included in the book. The only think I would have liked to see that was missing, would be some actual photographs of the plants. No matter how fabulous those illustrations are, I would still like to see the real thing- perhaps in the endpages with resources to learn more about the plants covered. 

Early Book Review: The World of Coral Reefs: Explore and Protect the Natural Wonders of the Sea by Erin Spencer

The World of Coral Reefs: Explore and Protect the Natural Wonders of the Sea by Erin Spencer is currently scheduled for release on March 29 2022. Coral reefs occupy less than 1% of the ocean floor, but they support 25% of all marine species with food and shelter. In this illustrated book for ages 7 to 10, marine ecologist and underwater explorer Erin Spencer provides information including details about the types of coral, their anatomy and life cycle, where they live, how reefs develop, and the incredible diversity of marine animals that live among them, including aquarium favorites like clownfish, royal blue tangs, and sea turtles. Kids learn about the interdependent relationships of people and reefs and how human behavior puts reefs in danger, promising conservation work that scientists are undertaking, and solution-oriented ways kids and families can help in the effort. 

The World of Coral Reefs is an accessible book, with a great deal of information that in interesting and engaging. I learned a few new things, and thought the text was well written and balanced with the illustrations. The format made it easy to stay focused on the subject matter and engaged with the book. I thought the illustrations were good, but I have to admit to being spoiled with great illustrations in the books I have been reading lately. There was nothing wrong with the artwork, it was well done and I could see the talent and work that went into it- however with such a brilliant subject matter I was admittedly hoping for something more realistic. The issue was with my sky high expectations. I was thrilled to see the endpages, including a glossary and fairly extensive list of resources to dive deeper into the subject matter. This makes me especially happy with children's nonfiction, because you never know when you might be inspiring a scientist or activist with these books and those resources might be the start of something world changing.