Let's Save the Animals

PreS-Gr 1—Each spread highlights an endangered animal, such as the Amur tiger and giant panda. A flap in the middle of the spread, when flipped, reveals the same animal in a different pose. The concept worked well in Duckie's Rainbow (2004) and Duckie's Ducklings (2005, both Candlewick) because the flipping of the page enhanced the visualization of what Barry was trying to show: for example, actually creating a rainbow. The flaps do not work that way here; they merely provide a novel way of presenting the material. Nevertheless, this book will appeal to children as the collage illustrations are attractive. There are also two levels of information: simple sentences make up the core of the text—"I'd save the orangutan, stretching from branch to branch"—and incidental facts about the dangers facing each animal are written at a higher level and set in small type. This book could be used in a classroom setting to discuss endangered animals with young children, but it lacks the flair of the "Duckie" titles.—Kara Schaff Dean, Walpole Public Library, MA