Biggest, Strongest, Fastest
Bibliography:
Jenkins, S. (1995). BIGGEST, STRONGEST,FASTEST. New York: Scholastic.
ISBN: 0395861365
Plot Summary:
The author Steve Jenkins explores the world's largest, slowest, and longest-lived creatures in this informational picture book that proves science can be a whole lot of fun. The book explains the following questions: What is the biggest land animal? What animal runs the fastest? Can elephants really eat more than 300 pounds of grass each day? This fascinating book introduces fourteen members of the animal kingdom who hold "world records" for their astonishing traits.
Critical Analysis:
Jenkins introduces the book by giving a short explanation of animals. The book would be a great way to introduce informational text to students since it is not a long book. The cut-page collage illustrations make it very captivating to the students. The colors are very bright and the color palette of the animals really makes the illustrations stand out. The animals look very fascinating and it makes the book come alive. The easy to understand comparisons and helpful charts will allow students to easily read the book. The book explains what animals are largest, smallest, which animal jumps the farthest, and who gives the strongest shock. This book would be great for older students doing research projects because of the great detail it has on explaining the animals physical characteristics.
Review Excerpt(s):
“Jenkins uses striking cut-paper collages to explore extremes -- for example, longest-living, smallest, and slowest -- in the animal world. In each instance, Jenkins makes a graphic comparison that children can understand and includes a smaller illustration that helps make abstract concepts concrete. Appended is a chart presenting brief facts about the animals' diet, range, and size. From HORN BOOK 1995, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.”-Horn Book
“Beautiful double-page-spread cut-paper collages illustrate a picture book about "some of the biggest and smallest, fastest and slowest, strongest and longest" record holders in the animal world. The facts are amazing. Their juxtaposition makes you gasp, not just about size and speed but about comparative wonders. Right after the African elephant, which eats more than 300 pounds of grass and leaves every day, there's a close-up two-page picture of an ant, which turns out to be the strongest animal for its size: it can carry five times its own weight. The book's design makes it accessible at many levels. The youngest can identify the various creatures. Preschoolers can enjoy the one-sentence descriptions in large type ("The cheetah can run faster than any other animal. . . . The flea is very small, but it is the world's best jumper"). Older kids will love thinking about the additional facts regarding scale and proportion that are printed in small type, accompanied by a tiny silhouette in the corner of each picture ("If a 5 1/2-foot-tall woman could jump as well as a flea, she could leap to the top of a 65-story building"). Here's proof that power isn't just about size and that science can be a lot of fun.” -Booklist Online
Connection:
*Students can draw their own diagram picking an animal, for example drawing a whale to show how it is as large as a bus.
*Students can do a compare and contrast activity choosing 2 animals from the book.
Other books that reflect this genre:
ACTUAL SIZE by Steve Jenkins ISBN:978-0547512914
Comments
Post a Comment