Move

by Steve Jenkins

Book Review

School Library Journal :

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Starred Review. PreS-Gr 2–In this eye-popping book illustrated with cut- and torn-paper collages, animals leap, swim, slide, swing, and waddle. Each spread contains one action word and two animals for whom that behavior is typical. One of the animals turns up again on the next page alongside a different creature, both of them representing another kind of motion. For example, on one side a crocodile slithers into the water opposite a snake slithering through leaves; with the turn, the snake climbs a tree and a praying mantis climbs a blade of grass. The information will pique readers' interest. Jenkins uses brief phrases as captions and provides a well-written, concise appendix. A sharp-headed, blue-eyed bird hovers over the caption, A roadrunner flies, but not too far…. On the next page, the bird, clasping a lizard in its beak, sprints away to the words, …it would rather run to catch its prey. The end matter explains where the roadrunner lives, what it eats, how large it is, and why it is more suited to running than flying. This book is gorgeous and educational.–Susan Weitz, formerly at Spencer-Van Etten School District, Spencer, NY

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Book Review
: BookList :

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PreS-Gr. 2. In this lively collaboration by spouses Jenkins and Page, a host of animal movements are sure to leave children wanting to imitate the animals' swinging, waddling, and jumping actions. Jenkins' signature paper collages, boldly set against white backgrounds, illustrate each of two actions per animal; these are preceded and followed by parallel movements performed by different animals. “A jacana [a waterbird] walks on floating lily pads . . . “ reads a right-hand page. The page turn completes the sentence: “then dives to catch a fish.” The blue whale pictured alongside dives, too, but the next page reveals that it also swims, just like the adjacent armadillo. The running text arcs around the images, often mimicking the featured movement, which also appears in large, boldface type on each spread. The text ends with an invitation--“Move!”--accompanied by a picture of bare human feet. Further information about each animal concludes, indicating sizes for readers who may find the pictures' inaccurate scale confusing. Use this as part of a storytime-with-movement, perhaps alongside Karen Pandell's Animal Action ABC (1996).
GraceAnneDeCandido.

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