Book Review - BEES, SNAILS, & PEACOCK TAILS



Book Review – BEES, SNAILS, & PEACOCK TAILS

1.       BIBLIOGRAPHY

Franco, Betsy. 2008. BEES, SNAILS, & PEACOCK TAILS. Ill. By Steve Jenkins. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books.  ISBN 978-1416903864

2.       PLOT SUMMARY

Through poems, the author tells an introductory story about patterns and shapes found in the natural world.  These patterns can be found in a variety of animals, fish, and insects in the air, sea, and land.  Anywhere nature can be found!  At the end of the book, there is a small section giving more facts about each featured animal.

3.       CRITICAL ANALYSIS

This book would make an excellent introduction to poem picture books.  The fonts vary in size and shape, sometimes adapting to the animals they are describing.  There are never too many words in each poem, keeping it accessible to young readers.  The rhymes like "round" and "profound" feel natural and the word selection is appropriate for the age group.  Clever similes like “then takes off its skin like a knee-high sock” evoke images that are familiar to children.  The sensory words create a living visual image of the animals for the reader.  The illustrations by Steve Jenkins are collage, with pleasing colors and details, ranging from a snake’s scales to a mouse’s fur.  These pictures will draw in young readers to examine these shapes and patterns for themselves!

4.       REVIEW EXCERPTS

Bill Martin Jr. Picture Book Award Nominee

Kentucky Bluegrass Award Master List

Reviewed in BOOKLIST: “The duo behind Birdsongs (2007) teams up again in this winning introduction to the patterns and shapes found in the natural world.  The perfect precursor to a science unit or a simple walk in the park.”

Reviewed in PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY: “This inviting book is bound to spark more careful observation of the shapes and colors in the reader's natural world.”

5.       CONNECTIONS

* This could be a great book for young readers to learn about patterns and shapes in nature.

* The author, Betsy Franco, has written other poetry picture books about nature:

Franco, Betsy. POND CIRCLE. ISBN 978-1416940210

Franco, Betsy. BIRDSONGS. ISBN 978-0689877773

* The official site can be found HERE.

http://www.betsyfranco.com/bees__snails____peacock_tails_69771.htm