Books to Read & More!: I SEE A KOOKABURRA!

Bibliography:

Jenkins Steve & Page Robin. 2005. I SEE A KOOKABURRA! New York, NY. Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0618507647

Plot Summary:

This book is filled with fascinating habitats; the desert in Southwestern United States, pond in Midwestern United States, jungle in Amazon Rainforest, South America, tide pool in Southern coast of England, savanna in Central Africa, and the forest in Eastern Australia, where the Kookaburra greets the new day with a call that sounds like a loud and crazy laugh. The unique animals range from the water spider to the elephant shrew and from the toucan to the Gila monster.

Critical Analysis:

This non-fiction picture book provides information from six different habitats from various parts of the world. It is perfect for students of all ages who are studying habitats. This

Each habitat has hidden animals and makes the reader feel like they’re playing hide and seek with them. As the page is turned it reveals the eight fascinating animals that had been hiding waiting to be discovered. A brief description about each surrounds the brightly colored animal illustrations; a javelin sniffing out tender roots, and a poisonous Weever Fish waiting for its next meal. A more descriptive summary is provided at the end of the book about the habitats, animals, and even a map is provided. The pattern, “In the desert, I see…”, “In a tide pool I see…” provides the reader with an image of what animals they will see in the coming pages.

The illustrations look like cut out paper collages of each animal, plant, and add to the extraordinary feeling of amazement as your gazing through the book.

The dazzling color and texture of the pictures that surround the rich detailed descriptions encourage the reader to spy out the hidden animals. The illustrator truly captures the beauty of how animals live and hide from predators in their own habitat.

I love all the unique animals in this book; it is a great opportunity for students to learn about habitats and animals they have never heard before.

Review Excerpts:

* School Library Journal, 2005- Filled with vibrant colors and palpable textures, the illustrations are breathtaking and give a real sense of the vitality, diversity, and beauty of nature. A first-rate foray into ecology that will encourage readers to explore the world around them.

* Publishers Weekly 2005- Jenkins masterfully manipulates texture and space, playing up the unique palette and architecture of each habitat, while pushing readers towards an aesthetic awareness of the remarkable shapes and patterns that compose nature’s wonders.