September 15, 2018
Who knew the life and times of the beaver could be so fascinating?Poliquin and Frith have created a nonfiction page-turner in this fascinating guide to Castor canadensis (and, to some extent, their Eurasian counterparts, Castor fiber). The facts unfold via the story of a Canadian beaver named Elmer and his partner of six years, Irma. Elmer and Irma are introduced to readers as superheroes of the animal kingdom, with a series of superpowers that include "chainsaw teeth," an "ever-toiling tail," and "paws of power." Although these examples may sound grandiose, Poliquin explains the importance of each in easily digestible chapters that inform and entertain. A gender-equalizing break in Chapter 6 reminds readers that while Elmer may be the star of the book, the same facts are all true for Irma as well. Quizzes throughout test readers' abilities to retain information (and there's a note in the third quiz reminding readers not to write in a library book). Frith's illustrations are an homage to the commercial-art stylings of the late 1950s and early '60s. The designs--a mixture of black ink, pencil, and wax crayon on paper (with digital color)--are amusing but a little too reminiscent of the last century, as every human character in the book is default white. It's a sour taste in an otherwise deliciously sweet dessert. The backmatter provides a glossary and a bibliography but, alas, no pronunciation guide. Well worth the purchase. (Nonfiction. 8-12)
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November 1, 2018
Gr 2-5-In this guide to a beaver's "superpowers," a nameless woman identifies and explains what is remarkable about beavers, as exemplified by a fictional pair she calls Elmer and Irma. The narrator introduces each superpower, or trait, by describing it as a special ability, then explaining how it works. Text boxes and quizzes are interspersed throughout and add a bit of fun. The illustrations, which have a vintage look to them, alternate between comic depictions of rodents and more detailed diagrams that identify different physical features of beavers and their habitats. The text is clear and friendly, though it occasionally tries too hard to be cute. The book's usefulness for students is hampered by the lack of a table of contents but it is helped by a clear glossary and a detailed further reading section. VERDICT Though it might take some hand selling, this is a serviceable addition to most libraries.-Sheri Reda, Wilmette Public Library, IL
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
Starred review from November 1, 2018
Grades 3-5 *Starred Review* This first in the projected The Superpower Field Guide series, about the natural world's resident superheroes, offers effervescent examinations of a beaver's super characteristics, from chainsaw teeth to ever-toiling tail (not to mention those posterior castor sacs filled with a turbocharged superstink used for territorial marking). Poliquin explains in simple but exact language how these wetland warriors chew down trees, build dams and lodges, exhibit indubitable deluge domination to survive both floods and droughts, and most awesome of all, function as a keystone species to create entire new ecosystems. She also covers in quick strokes the devastating effects of the historical fur trade and clever ways modern naturalists have found to control beavers' more destructive tendencies, and, in the upside-down answers to several, not-always-serious pop quizzes (True or false: Giant prehistoric beavers built the Egyptian pyramids ), elaborates on other related topics. Frith's very simple freestyle illustrations operate mostly as a complementary sidepiece to the truly excellent text, but they add both visual detail and further lighthearted notes. Eager beavers who likewise find these redoubtable rodents utterly gobsmackable! will find a chewy array of print and web resources to sink their teeth into at the end.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)
January 1, 2019
Teeth, tails, and building are just some of the beaver's "superpowers" according to this breezy, conversational guide, which covers beavers' anatomy, eating habits, habitat, and why they were once endangered. The retro aesthetic and familiar animal subject may not grab kids right away, but if they start reading, they'll soon be hooked by the ample humor in both the text and cartoon illustrations. Reading list, websites. Glos.
(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)