Army Ant Parade [Hardcover]

April Pulley Sayre (Author), Rick Chrustowski (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 3 and up | Series: Books for Young Readers

An evocation of an army ant parade set in the rain forest.

One morning there is a strange stillness in the forest. A few birds call. There is a rustling, like rain. Suddenly insects scurry into view. The army ants are coming!

They swarm over the ground in a thick stream, searching for food. Antbirds follow them to eat the insects that flee from the swarm. Most animals escape the army ant attack, but one frog isn't so lucky: it becomes a meal. The hungry army ants move on, and soon the forest is quiet again.

Simple, evocative text and vibrant illustrations capture the drama and excitement of an army ant parade.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Set in a Panamanian rain forest, Army Ant Parade by April Pulley Sayre, illus. by Rick Chrustowski, puts readers right in the center of the excitement, suggesting they look for telltale signs, such as an antbird rustling ("Chew-chew-chew," it calls) or scorpions scurrying. The earthtoned illustrations show the subject close up as well as advancing en masse. Back matter includes additional information.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 1-3-This lushly illustrated ecological tale rests on the premise that readers are camped in a Central American rain forest to observe an army ant swarm. Short blocks of text guide them step-by-step through the experience, describing the flight of hordes of scorpions and frogs from the ants as they come to search for food; how other creatures benefit from the swarm; and, finally, the end of the swarm, when the ant column moves on. A two-page appendix offers some additional material. Chrustowski's close-up, realistic illustrations, comprised of multiple layers of colored pencil over watercolor wash, are vivid and effective, with the ants often appearing to be headed straight toward readers. Eye-catching and clearly written, this title nevertheless omits some useful information. For instance, it fails to state the average size of a swarm, and the terms larvae and pupae are not defined. Also, not all of the creatures depicted are identified. There are a number of good general introductions to ants, but little information specifically on this variety, particularly for young children. Dorothy Hinshaw Patent's Looking at Ants (Holiday, 1989; o.p.) does include a section, but the text is aimed at a higher reading level. Sayre's title will be a useful addition to most collections.
Karey Wehner, formerly at San Francisco Public Library
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR); 1st edition (March 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805063536
• ISBN-13: 978-0805063530
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,422,263 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

April Pulley Sayre loves the sounds of animals and the sounds of words. She is an award-winning author of over 55 natural history books for children and adults. Her read-aloud books, known for their lyricism and scientific precision, have been translated into French, Dutch, Japanese, and Korean. Her picture book VULTURE VIEW, illustrated by Steve Jenkins, received the Theodor "Seuss" Geisel Honor from the American Library Association. STARS BENEATH YOUR BED: the Surprising Story of Dust, received the AAAS/SB&F/Subaru Prize for Excellence in Science Books and was named an ALA Notable. ONE IS SNAIL, TEN IS A CRAB was an ALA Notable and received Britain's highest literacy award. THE BUMBLEBEE QUEEN marked her third win of the John Burroughs Award. Sayre and her husband Jeff have followed lemurs in Madagascar, pursued army ants in Panama, and eaten piranha in the Peruvian Amazon. Mostly, though, they garden for wildlife and munch blueberries at their home in the Midwest.