Amphibian Acrobats, written by Leslie Bulion and illustrated by Robert Meganck. Peachtree, Fitzhenry & Whiteside. 2020. $10.99 ages 10 and up

"This small warty father,
Nose pointed and slender,
Takes tadpole care further
Than any (frog) other.
With no help from mother,
He guards eggs on litter,
Until larvae quiver
Through jelly-clear covers.

Then trusty Dad gathers
His egg sons and daughters,
And gulp! provides shelter ... "

The last book I read by this very accomplished pair was Superlative Birds (2019). It was one of my favorite books of the year. As someone who loves poetry, I was in awe of the literary acumen and the amount of research done to provide so much information concerning the birds chosen. 

I was, then, not surprised to find that this book is also quite stunning. This collaborative team manages to perfectly match art and text in a book that is sure to satisfy a young person's need to know more about the featured amphibians (caecilians, salamanders, toads, and frogs). Ms. Bulion describes where they are found, how they move, the differences between them, their life cycles, and their young.

Each entertaining entry is accompanied by a fantastic digital image, and a comprehensive description that provides a scientific name, where they live in the world, and what is unique about each one.  She has this to say about the Star-Fingered Toad, that lives in South America and Trinidad and spends most of its life moving about underwater. The mother frog's back provides a perfect environment for 60 to 100 eggs.

“Her skin grows pockets, capped with lids,
to shield her embryonic kids,
whose tails shrink as they sprout four legs,
no tadpoles hatch—they stay in eggs,
til star-shaped toe and pointy snout
poke through Mom’s skin…pop, pop they’re out!”

Robert Meganck's artwork adds to the humor of the descriptive and entertaining text. He helps readers see and understand that these amazing creatures can alter their shapes, change their colors, and execute some pretty amazing feats.

Back matter includes a useful glossary, poetry notes for each poem included, acknowledgements, a section concerning the help that is needed for all amphibians and how everyone can play a role in saving their habitats and self-education. A list of resources, a world map to show where they can be found and a key to their size and endangered status brings this wonderful book to an end.