In comics-style panels full of facts and humor, this lively picture book investigates the amazing lengths animal mothers go to in caring for their young.
An emperor penguin mom treks up to fifty miles to bring food to her hungry chick. A toothy American alligator carefully carries hatchlings in her mouth, shuttling them safely to the water. A piping plover uses her best acting skills to feign an injury, luring predators away from her offspring. Whether building elaborate burrows, forgoing food for months on end to feed their cubs, toting hundreds of spiderlings on their backs, conducting patient swimming lessons, or fearlessly kicking away hyenas, mothers in the animal kingdom—whatever their species—give it their all (and then some!) to keep their little ones safe, fed, and ready to face the world on their own. This first book in a young series on animal science includes in its back matter a look at the “super” qualities of some of the animals and offers a collection of resources for budding naturalists.
Information about the featured animals. Suggested resources to learn more. Full-color digital illustrations.
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School Library Journal
PreS-Gr 2—The first book in the new "Animal Heroes" series, this title features amazing animal mothers. Each mom featured does something unique to care for their young. Some of the examples will especially delight young audiences as they feature extreme or what some might consider gross behaviors. For example, the red-knobbed hornbill mom seals her nest with mud and poop and stays inside with her young for three months. The strawberry poison frog separates her tadpoles so they won't kill each other. Illustrations using multiple panels per animal capture the supermoms and their young in action. Back matter adds more, albeit minimal, facts to the portrayals of these amazing animal mothers. Links to further resources as well as to the research process used in the making of this book are included. While the text does not include enough information for research, this title would be a useful introduction to a wide variety of animals as well as to the diversity of behaviors that can be found in the animal kingdom in relation to how animals care for their young. VERDICT Highly browsable and entertaining nonfiction.—John Scott