Parents’ Choice Silver Honors Winner From the award-winning author of
Mama Built a Little Nest comes an oh-so-clever picture book that explores the feathers, fur, skin, or hair that different animals wear!
Some animals wear feathers.
Some animals wear hair.
Some animals wear prickly spines
and roam without a care! At first glance, a wild animal’s appearance may seem simple. But there is fascinating science behind every part of an animal’s physique—from its nose to its toes! Celebrated author Jennifer Ward explores different kinds of fur, feathers, skin, and scales in this nonfiction picture book that’s truly like no other. From porcupines and polar bears to octopuses and owls, you’ll never see animal outerwear the same way again!
"At first glance, a wild animal's appearance may seem simple. But there is ... science behind every part of an animal's physique--from its nose to its toes ... Ward explores different kinds of fur, feathers, skin, and scales ... from porcupines and polar bears to octopuses and owls"--Amazon.com.
In spare, gentle rhyme, this vibrantly illustrated picture book introduces young readers to the very basics of animal form. “Some animals wear armor. / Some wear a traveling shell. / Some wear tough and pointy horns that serve them very well,” Ward writes as Tsong showcases an armadillo’s tough skin, a shelled tortoise and a hermit crab, and the horns of a rhino and antlers of a gazelle. Back matter includes a list of the animals in the order that they appear, with some details about each feature showcased in the text. The collage-style illustrations focus on particular aspects of each animal: a lion’s gaping yawn is front and center on one page, but it’s the mane (“Some animals wear wild hair”) that is its most defining feature. Back-to-back spreads on colorful animals—a camouflaging chameleon and octopus—are especially interesting. While not particularly science heavy, this is an eye-catching first look for budding scientists, and a final page on the only animal who “wears clothes from head to toes” will pique that interest even further. — Maggie Reagan
