FOR CHILDREN
AT THE LIBRARY
“Sisters & Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World” by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page, illustrated by Steve Jenkins, Houghton Mifflin, 32 pages Read aloud: age 8 and older
Read yourself: age 8, 9 and older “Playing together, working together, arguing, fighting — sometimes animal brothers and sisters act a lot like human siblings. Other creatures have more unusual relationships.”
So begins this interesting book that is packed with facts about animal siblings. Learn about naked mole rats that live in underground colonies, where they may have hundreds of siblings. When two mole rats meet in a tunnel, the younger, lower status rat lies flat on the floor to allow its sibling to crawl over it to pass.
Read about European shrews, among the smallest mammals on earth, measuring about 2 ¾ inches. As many as 10 newborn shrews are so tiny they can comfortably fit in a teaspoon, and they walk behind their mother in a line, each attached to the other so they don’t get lost.
Discover why young black widow spiders start out with as many as 700 brothers and sisters, but only a few survive.
A fast-paced, fascinating look at animal siblings, readers will see similarities and vast differences between human siblings and brother and sisters in the animal world.
LIBRARIAN’S CHOICE
Library: Groton Public Library, 52 Newtown Rd., Groton Library Director: Betty Anne Reiter Children’s Librarian: Kim Balentine
Manager, Library Public Services: Jennifer Miele Choices this week: “Owl Babies” by Martin Waddell; “Beach Day!” by Patricia Lakin; “Maniac Magee” by Jerry Spinelli
AT THE BOOKSTORE
“Bats: Biggest! Littlest!” by Sandra Markle, photos various credits, Boyds Mills Press, 2013, 32 pages, $16.95 hardcover Read aloud: 7 and older. Read yourself: age 8 and older. Award-winning science writer Sandra Markle takes readers on a journey into the world of bats. More than a dozen bats are featured, from the tiny Bumblebee Bat that weighs no more than an American penny, to the big Gray-Headed Flying Fox which has a wingspan of about 3 feet. Gorgeous color photographs from around the globe allow readers a close-up look at these intriguing creatures while learning loads of fascinating facts about bats.
“Who Lives Here?” by Nicola Davies, illustrated by Marc Boutavant, Candlewick, 2012, 22 pages, $9.99 hardcover Read aloud: 3 and older
Read yourself: age 6 Who lives in the still, cool pond? The dragonfly! Who lives in the snowy, frozen Arctic? The polar bear! Who lives in the jungle, or the grassland, or on a coral reef in the ocean? Lift the flaps to find out.
But there is much more to this clever book than simply that. For each question, there are four flaps to lift. The three incorrect answers supply information where that animal actually lives, and the correct answer is enhanced on the following double-page spread with more information. Packed with learning and fun, kids will love this interactive book. www.greatestbooksforkids.com