It’s the “sheer splendor of life”!

SALAS, Laura Purdie. Meet My Family!: Animal Babies and Their Families. illus. by Stephanie Fizer Coleman. 32p. further reading. glossary. maps. Millbrook. Mar. 2018. Tr $19.99. ISBN 9781512425321.

 

Gr 2-4–What would it be like to be an animal baby? With just the right dose of information and bright, sweetly imagined full-page scenes, this book introduces children to the fact that family compositions, appearances, life cycles, eating habits, behaviors, and modes of play all vary greatly among living beings. Some animals are given their own spread. Others are paired with another creature, such as the North American River Otter pup and the Green Sea Turtle hatchling, where contrasting characteristics are the uniting feature (in this instance, “My family frolics in a group”/ “I’m solo day and night.”). The text often references the language spoken in a given animal’s region, with an accompanying glossary in the form of an easy-to-read chart in the back. The sheer splendor of life is subtly woven throughout the text and is also strikingly on display in the final illustration—a lineup of different types of human families. A breezy read to offer groups or for one-on-one lap sharing. In addition to the glossary, there is a listing of every animal included with a world map to aid curious children with finding specific locations. VERDICT A pleasing choice for young nonfiction enthusiasts that belongs on most elementary shelves.–Gloria Koster, West School, New Canaan, CT