Animals Upside Down: A Pull, Pop, Lift & Learn Book!

Gr 2–4—Jenkins and Page have assembled a fun array of animals that, for various reasons, view the world upside down. From beetles and snakes to birds and sloths, readers are treated to accessible, interesting nuggets of text that explain how this bottoms-up perspective is used to advantage. A male bird of paradise hangs upside down to display his vivid plumage to attract a mate, while a trumpet fish floats head down, looking like sea grass or soft coral and lunging at unsuspecting prey. The three-toed sloth is able to keep a death grip on branches-literally-as its claws lock so tightly that it can remain hanging even after death. Critters like the hog-nosed snake, which lies on its back and secretes a foul-smelling liquid from its rear end and blood from its mouth in response to threats, provide a gross-out element that is always a hit. The informative tidbits accompany large images of the animals rendered in Jenkins's trademark cut- and torn-paper collage artwork that pops against ample white space. The only quibble is that some of the pull tabs and flaps are rather underwhelming. With interactive books, the quality of engagement should be well worth the shorter shelf life pretty much guaranteed by the wear and tear on the parts. However,-the overall effort more than compensates for any features that are a bit anticlimactic. This book will have wide appeal, thanks to the digestible but fascinating text and the vivid illustrations.—Alyson Low, Fayetteville Public Library, AR