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.
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! This first book in a 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.
"Each species is introduced in a panel or series of panels, with cartoon illustrations of the family in its habitat and a line of text describing the mother’s behavior. ('A giraffe mom kicks to protect her calf.') Speech bubbles carry imagined commentary, mostly from the youngsters. ('Take that!' says an impressed giraffe calf as Mom fends off some predatory hyenas.) A final spread identifies each mother by name and superpower ('super determined' penguin, 'super sneaky' piping plover, 'super caring' orangutan). Using speech bubbles again, each mother describes where she lives and what she eats and offers a surprising fact. For youngsters who like learning about the animal kingdom, this work offers a pleasing variety." — Kirkus Reviews
Recommended Age | 3 - 7 |
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Author | Heather Lang, Jamie Harper |
Illustrator | Jamie Harper |
ISBN | 1536217972 |
Publication Date | Mar 7, 2023 |
Publisher | Candlewick |
Language | English |