" - but we sleep in different places where
we feel safe. In crevices, under the sand,
or inside a sleeve-like mucus sac.
We make the sacs ourselves, and they're
stinky, so no predators -
Stinky mucus sac?
GAK. Who'd want a mouthful of that?
Exactly."
Kids will appreciate that Jill Esbaum continues to research creatures with superpowers that are unfamiliar to most readers. First, it was the stinkbird. Now, it's the parrotfish. Learning facts about it leads to another fascinating and funny book.
Parrotfish live in tropical waters, along with hammerhead sharks and other ocean dwellers. Luckily, the hammerhead is not one of its predators. While they fear lemon sharks, moray eels, and reef sharks, they have no such aversion to the hammerhead. For this story, the hammerhead is reluctant to believe that such a small fish can actually have a superpower.
While the parrotfish is happy to talk about it, the shark constantly interrupts his story. In trying to convince Hammerhead of its very special ability, Parrotfish provides plenty of other information about itself. It sleeps in secret spaces; has 1000 tight little teeth at the front of its mouth and some in its throat; it eats algae and polyps. Wait! None of those is its superpower.
Finally coming to the water's surface, Parrotfish shares what makes it so special.
"Oh, the ocean helped. Its waters break down rocks and shells.
But most of that beeeeautiful beach is made of ...
PARROTFISH POOP!!!"
Hammerhead is contrite. Like most readers, he knew nothing about Parrotfish's superpower, and didn't believe him at the beginning. Now that he knows, a loud warning to a passing reef shark cements the new relationship for both.
Bob Shea creates bright, expressive digital artwork that is sure to appeal to the intended audience. Backgrounds provide a welcome habitat for the book's characters. A true and false guessing game concludes.
No comments:
Post a Comment