Book Review: Creature Features: 25 Explain Why They Look the Way They Do by Steve Jenkins

 

Why do certain creatures look the way they do? This book takes a look at 25 fascinating animals and how their unique looks help them to survive.

This book is set up like an interview of each animal with each page beginning with "Dear animal," and proceeding to ask them to explain why they look the way they do. Young readers will find it fun that the animals seem to interact by answering the question posed to them in first-person point of view. The illustrations are bold and set against bright colored backgrounds making the animals stand out. The animals are also positioned on the page to highlight their unique features. 

"Have aliens invaded Earth? No, it’s just another stellar partnership for Jenkins and Page, this time presenting 25 unusual animals. In a question-and-answer format, each animal speaks in the first person to explain the purpose of its bizarre features. When asked, “Have you ever thought about getting braces?,” the toothy mole rat replies, “Not really. I dig tunnels through the earth with my teeth.” To “What is that weird thing growing on your face?,” the star-nosed mole answers, “I use the tentacles on my snout to feel my way in the dark.” Two show-stopper portraits are the pink-tinted blob fish’s smushed head against a brilliant azure background and the toothless horned frog’s head with its “ginormous” mouth. The flat, brightly colored backgrounds make the nuanced cut-paper and collage faces pop. Back matter includes a bibliography and silhouettes of the animals compared to humans, as well as their geographic range and diet. It’s a splendid introduction and a memorable read-aloud for young children." — Lolly Gepson, Booklist

Book Information:

Jenkins, S. (2014). CREATURE FEATURES: 25 ANIMALS EXPLAIN WHY THEY LOOK THE WAY THEY DO. Illustrated by Robin Page. New York: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. IBSN 9780544233515

Book Activity:

Have students choose an animal of the choosing and create a page that could be added to the book to create a book for the library created by students. Students will model the same writing style as used by Jenkins.