The 590s are a well-visited part of most children’s collections. Thrilling field guides, profiles on endangered animals, lists of the world’s most frightening creatures—we’ve seen it all. But these new books treat well-trod topics with originality and innovation. There’s primatologist Jane Goodall’s new book about some of the chimp children she’s observed, as well as Traer Scott’s gorgeous, enthralling photographic look at wildlife by night. And for readers who cringe at the thought of creepy-crawlies—never fear. These authors manage to make rats, flies, and even slugs downright endearing.

Goodall, Jane. The Chimpanzee Children of Gombe. photos by Michael Neugebauer. 64p. Minedition. 2014. RTE $19.99. ISBN 9789888240838.

Gr 2-5 –Goodall has written other books for kids, but her latest focuses on children themselves: young chimps. Photos captured by Neugebauer over the 50 years that Goodall carried on her research offer lovely portraits of several chimp mothers and their offspring. These images, coupled with Goodall’s simple, conversational text (“I think we are all getting a bit weary after our day in the forest”), follow a single day in the Gombe jungle. Goodall parallels human and chimp behavior—kissing, hugging, spending time with family—to emphasize the similarities that we share and to illustrate her point that people need to learn from the life that surrounds them. The spread pairing photos of a young chimp and a boy using the same gestures is particularly heartwarming. Readers will enjoy the images of other animals—baboons, a skink, a grass finch—found here. Back matter includes information about Goodall’s Roots & Shoots program, which gives students of all ages the chance to make a difference. This charmingly designed, delightful book will inspire a new generation to look for the similarities that unite us, whether among humans or between people and other species.–Dorcas Hand, Annunciation Orthodox School, Houston, TX

Gravel, Elise. The Rat. ISBN 9781770496583. LC 2013953639.

––––. The Slug. ISBN 9781770496552. LC 2013953638.

ea vol: illus. by Elise Gravel. 32p. (Disgusting Critters). ebook available. Tundra. 2014. Tr. $10.99.

Gr 2-4 –These easy-to-read titles aim to amuse and inform in tandem. A cartoon rat or slug provides silly commentary to accompany an array of factoids about its respective subjects’ physical characteristics and life style. (While the narrator explains that rats are enamored of human foodstuffs and garbage, this protagonist requests “more delicious electrical wire in tomato sauce.”) Rat reproduction is mentioned nowhere, and as for slugs, well, the information is ambiguous. Looking “to find a partner and have babies,” this slug hero/heroine (being both) follows another slug’s mucus trail and then “lays its eggs.” The book fails to discuss contact between the slugs, which will surely result in many questions from young readers. Still, gently amusing and somewhat informative, these cartoon books will find a home in many a classroom library and will meet the basic needs for those children who dread nonfiction book reports.–Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

Heos, Bridget. I, Fly: The Buzz About Flies and How Awesome They Are. illus. by Jennifer Plecas. 48p. Holt. Mar. 2015. Tr $17.99. ISBN 9780805094695.

Gr 2-4 –A whimsical approach to the life cycle of flies. Large, colorful illustrations immediately engage readers through dialogue bubbles and colorful cartoons. Children learn all about eggs, larva, pupa, and adulthood through the narration of one fly who resents how much attention butterflies get: “Well, guess who else metamorphoses, can fly, and is beautiful (at least according to my mother).” Understudied and not as well liked, the fly is shown to be an important insect that greatly aids in decomposition and composting; the author includes discussion of maggots, rotting fruit, and environmentalism and dispels the myth that flies are dirty insects. Readers learn how the bugs help solve police crimes and how they further the study of science in the lab. This book will be a lively read-aloud to introduce students to environmentalism or to generate conversation and new ideas and will be enjoyed by independent readers.–Tracey Wong, P.S. 54/Fordham Bedford Academy, Bronx, NY

Scott, Traer. Nocturne: Creatures of the Night. photos by Traer Scott. 128p. websites. Princeton Architectural. 2014. Tr $19.95. ISBN 9781616892883. LC 2014006210.

Gr 2-6 –Scott once again taps into her creativity and photographic genius, compiling remarkably intimate images. The book features 42 nocturnal creatures, many depicted through multiple shots, laid out on a black background, allowing the details and features of the subject to pop. Each image is accompanied by unique information written for a higher level reader than most photobooks. Some of the highlights are a capybara so lifelike that it begs to be touched, a raccoon staring into the camera soulfully, a little brown bat that seems to be coming right off the page, a charming fennec fox whose sweet expression will evoke squeals, and a hedgehog rolled up into a ball. The collection contains many mammals, but there are also plenty of birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects, too. This selection will attract nonreaders with its gorgeous images but will also be of interest to older children, though students doing anything but the most basic research reports would need to supplement this book with additional materials. An excellent addition.–Jane Hebert, Glenside Public Library District, Glendale Heights, IL