School Library Journal
08/01/2020
Gr 1–3—Just like humans, animals need a place to live. The newest entry in Holland's series of wildlife books describes different types of animal dwellings. Each spread features a photograph of an animal home, a close-up of the animal, and straightforward information about the style of habitat and animal. All of the highlighted animals are ones that might be found in a deciduous forest environment, such as squirrels, black bears, and beavers. Some of the animals make their homes out of a wide variety of materials, including leaves and other forest detritus. Some utilize spaces already existing in their environment. Animals with built-in homes (exoskeletons) also receive a brief mention. The discussion prompt at the end of the book will encourage readers to think about their own homes. Additional learning activities include a matching game to pair animals with their correct homes and a more detailed exploration of animal home building materials (some birds even use cigarette butts). The book could be integrated into lessons related to ecology, conservation, and biomes. VERDICT A no-nonsense introduction to animal abodes.—Alyssa Annico, Youngstown State Univ., OH
Kirkus Reviews
2020-05-17
Children know that wild animals live outside, and this book offers them the opportunity to see where and learn how they live.
In Holland’s crisp photographs, readers will see animals and their habitats up close and in detail. Each image is bright and clear, revealing impressive amounts of texture. One can imagine the slick foam of the spittle bug’s home, the smooth coat of a black bear, or the coarse nubbling of bark. The very first spread presents a picture of a beaver with webbed feet and remarkably interesting claws that look like human fingernails; it appears as an inset over a full-bleed, spread-spanning photo of a beaver lodge in an autumn landscape. A few pages in, there is an equally striking shot of a bald-faced hornet and another of an army of tent caterpillars building silk. In total, the book covers 12 animals and insects and would be useful to bring along during a camping trip, a walk through a local park, or even a walk to a favorite neighborhood tree, so that children will have the opportunity to see and perhaps interact with some of the habitats of the animals around them. Four pages of backmatter encourage further engagement with the topic. Holland also carefully introduces new vocabulary to children, folding in such words as “burrow,” “drey,” and “snag” throughout, with explanations within the text.
This picture book is a pleasure to read and is sure to become the favorite of some future naturalist. (Informational picture book. 4-8)
