Module 7: Actual Size & An Egg is Quiet

Actual Size by Steve Jenkins

Summary:  This book is about large animals of all types.  It gives facts and measurements of the animals.

Citation: Jenkins, S. (2011). Actual size. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Impressions:  I enjoyed this book because it gives a good perspective on animal sizes.

Reviews:  School Library Journal

PreSchool-Grade 5–In striking torn-and-cut paper collages, Jenkins depicts 18 animals and insects–or a part of their body–in actual size. One illustration compares an atlas moth with a 12-inch wingspan to a dwarf goby fish, which is 1/3-inch long. The eye of a giant squid, at a foot across, occupies a spread to terrific effect; only the snout and tongue–curling its two-foot length across two pages and littered with termites–are visible in the picture of the giant anteater. The hand of a gorilla fills a page opposite the entire pygmy mouse lemur with its tiny human-fingertip-sized palm. The saltwater crocodile grows to 23 feet, so tremendous that its head occupies a three-page foldout. On the reverse side is the rat-eating Goliath frog, a staggering 36 inches long in full hop. One or two lines of text briefly introduce each animal and give specific measurements, e.g., the gorilla stands 5 ½ feet tall and weighs 600 pounds, while the mouse lemur is 2 ½ inches tall and weighs 1 ounce. The end matter offers full pictures of the creatures and more details about their habitats and habits. Mixing deceptive simplicity with absolute clarity, this beautiful book is an enticing way to introduce children to the glorious diversity of our natural world, or to illustrate to budding scientists the importance of comparison, measurement, observation, and record keeping. A thoroughly engaging read-aloud and a must-have for any collection.

Ratterree, D. (2011). Actual Size [Review of the book Actusl size, by Steve Jenkins]. School Library Journal.

Use in Library Setting:  This book would be a great resource when teaching students about measurement.

An Egg is Quiet by Dianna Hutts Aston

Summary:  This book is a wonderful presentation of different types of eggs.

Citation: Aston, D. A. (2006). An egg is quiet. New York: HarperCollins Publishers.

Impressions: I never thought eggs could be so interesting! Over 60 different eggs are presented with facts.

Reviews:  School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 2–An exceptionally handsome book on eggs, from the delicate ova of the green lacewing to the rosy roe of the Atlantic salmon to the mammoth bulk of an ostrich egg. Aston's simple, readable text celebrates their marvelous diversity, commenting on size, shape, coloration, and where they might be found. The author occasionally attributes sensibilities to eggs (An egg is clever, for example). Still, her quiet descriptions of egg engineering and embryo development (no mention of mating) are on the mark, and are beautifully supported by Long's splendid watercolor depictions of a wide variety of eggs. (One teeny carp–Steller's jays are not spelled with an ar, though they are stellar performers when wheedling for your lunch at a campsite!) A beautiful guide to the unexpected panoply of the egg.

Manning, P. (2010). An egg is quiet [Review of the book An egg is quiet, by Dianna Hutts Aston]. School Library Journal.

Use in Library Setting:  This could be used as a research tool for young readers.  Readers wanting to discover more about eggs will certainly enjoy this book.