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Monday, July 11, 2022

Find Out About ... Animal Babies, written by Martin Jenkins and illustrated by Jane McGuinness. Candlewick Press, Penguin Random House. 2021. $23.99 ages 3 and up

 


"Some animals keep their babies 
in very strange places: in their 
mouths ... 

A female mouth-brooding cichlid fish lays 
eggs that she keeps in her mouth until 
they hatch. Once released, the babies 
leave her mouth but dart back in if 
danger threatens."

Last month, I posted a companion book to this one: Find Out About ... Animal Homes. This other one about animals and their babies follows the same format. Mr. Jenkins explains that all animals in the world have babies. How they do that, and how they take care of them is the subject of this book. He reminds that this book includes only a few from the countless list of animals in our world.  

Again, he uses opposite comparisons: big/small, look alike/do not/babies together/babies alone. The introductory statement is once again printed in bold-face and the facing page adds further data written in a much smaller font. Most animals are familiar, with a few exceptions. The ways in which they care for (or don't) those babies are varied and at times surprising. 

"And some don't look after them 
at all. 

A female sea turtle comes out of the ocean
to lay her eggs on a beach. She covers 
them with sand and goes back to the sea, 
leaving the eggs to hatch by themselves 
weeks later.
"

Once again, the colorful and engaging mixed media artwork is sure to attract interest and full attention as the book is shared. Encouraging young children to think about other animals and the babies they would like to know about will generate a list leading to further research. That's a real bonus. Then, further information about animals and their babies, and an index complete the book.                                                                              


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