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Overview
When it comes to wild animals, everyone knows that there are certain things you just don’t do. It's clearly a bad idea to tease a tiger, pull a python's tail, or bother a black widow spider. But do you know how dangerous it can be to pet a platypus, collect a cone shell, or touch a tang fish? Some creatures have developed unusual ways of protecting themselves or catching prey, and this can make them unexpectedly hazardous to your health.
In this dynamic and fascinating picture book by Steve Jenkins, you'll find out what you should never do if you encounter one of these surprisingly dangerous animals.
Synopsis
When it comes to wild animals, everyone knows that there are certain things you just don’t do. It's clearly a bad idea to tease a tiger, pull a python's tail, or bother a black widow spider. But do you know how dangerous it can be to pet a platypus, collect a cone shell, or touch a tang fish? Some creatures have developed unusual ways of protecting themselves or catching prey, and this can make them unexpectedly hazardous to your health.
In this dynamic and fascinating picture book by Steve Jenkins, you'll find out what you should never do if you encounter one of these surprisingly dangerous animals.
Children's Literature
Youngsters know that many creatures are dangerous. Here, Steve Jenkins chooses to focus on some whose threats are not obvious. He devotes one or two pages to each of eighteen animals that can be hazardous in a variety of ways. "Never " warns each informative introduction. The sentences finish "pet a platypus," "collect a cone shell," "harass a hippopotamus," "jostle a jellyfish," or "step on a stingray." This liberal use of alliteration leads to descriptions of the unfortunate consequences of such actions. The final advice—"NEVER smile at a monkey!"—warns that showing your teeth may be interpreted as an aggressive gesture, and the result may be violent. Jenkins achieves remarkable naturalistic results with his cut paper collages; he designs his pages using extra-large type for the headings and blocks of regular text for the descriptions. The final four pages offer further information along with a small picture of each creature included in the text and a bibliography. The strikingly contrasting pictures of the monkeys on the front and back of the jacket and cover are sure to attract attention. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz
Editorials
From the Publisher
"A visually stunning book illustrated with cut paper and torn collages...This superlative illustrator has given children yet another work that educates and amazes."—School Library Journal, starred review"With his trademark cut-paper technique, Jenkins proves there may not be a texture that he can’t mimic on the page. The high-interest marriage of animals and danger, along with large, vibrant visuals, makes this a prime candidate for group sharing, and additional details and artwork at the end will flesh out some of the finer points for older children."—Booklist
"[Monkey] takes the cheesy appeal of the dangerous-animals hook and makes it thoughtful and inventive without robbing it of its melodramatic charm. . . Crisp and clean detail particularly distinguishes this batch of Jenkins’ cut-out-collages, laid out with sharp edges against the white backgrounds, so the soft painterly striations and fibrous mottling stand out all the more."—Bulletin