KIDS' BOOKS
Who Lives Here? Forest Animals
by Deborah Hodge; Pat Stephens, illus.
Age group: (ages 4-7)
Price: $14.95 cloth
ISBN: 978-1-55453-070-0
Page count: 24 pp.
Size: 8¼ x 8¼
Released: Feb.
This is the fifth in the Kids Can Press Who Lives Here? series by author and former educational consultant Deborah Hodge. As in the other four books, Hodge familiarizes children with a selection of creatures – forest animals, in this case – using a bare minimum of words.
The chapters cover a suitable range of animals, including several mammals (the black bear, lynx, caribou, wolverine, snowshoe hare, and wolf) two birds (the chickadee and loon); and one amphibian (the wood frog). Perhaps a reptile or two would have been nice to round out the roster. However, the animals that do make the list are all excellent choices.
Each animal gets one carefully designed spread. But how much can you really say about an animal in seven to 10 sentences? Surprisingly, quite a bit. Hodge focuses on how each animal has adapted to its boreal forest habitat, from the black bear’s “long tongue and loose lips” that allow it to eat bugs, nuts, and berries, to the snowshoe hare’s “big, wide feet” that are designed to help it run quickly over snow.
Pat Stephens’ illustrations are simple enough to appeal to younger readers, but never at the expense of accuracy. Some of the small circular images feature anatomical details – the beak of a loon, the furry nose of a caribou, etc. – that are reproduced again on the book’s last page. Children are asked to find where each image appears in the book.
There are thousands of books out there about animals. This one stands out for its carefully chosen details, minimalist text, and engaging illustrations.
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