Curious Critters [Hardcover]

David FitzSimmons (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 7, 2011 | Age Range: 2 - 8 years

Photographer David FitzSimmons turns his camera on a variety of animals common throughout North America. CURIOUS CRITTERS presents stunning images of everyday animals, including a red flat bark beetle, an Eastern spiny softshell turtle, a spotted salamander, and many other intriguing creatures. Each Curious Critter is photographed against a white backdrop, showcasing the animal's colors, textures, and shapes with precision and clarity. Along with each photo is an entertaining and educational vignette, told from the critter's perspective: a bush katydid explains her bubblegum-pink color, a poetic opossum opines upon her often-shortened name, and a far-from-modest black swallowtail butterfly lets readers in on her secret for avoiding predators. Young boys and girls will delight in these colorful critters and their tales

Editorial Reviews

Review

This collection of amazing close-up images on stark white backgrounds is a stunning introduction to the animals unique beauty. No one could resist lingering over the sharp details in these vibrant photographs. Facing portraits of the American bullfrog and the American toad highlight the differences between the moist-skinned frog and the dry toad. The humorous, first-person text implies a rivalry involving toads and warts versus frogs and princesses. One spread features a face-off between two very different predators a perfectly coiled black-and-gold fox snake and an Eastern screech-owl. The Virginia opossum looks directly into the camera and grabs viewers attention. The tiny mites hitching a ride on the red flat bark beetle are nothing short of amazing. A concluding two-page section provides a brief paragraph on the natural history of each animal and insect. An interesting spread presents overlapping life-size silhouettes of each creature comparing their actual sizes. Each one is numbered and color-coded as a test to identify the individuals and their groupings. The sophisticated photography and lighthearted narrative combine in an intriguing introduction to some of the inhabitants of the natural world. --School Library Journal, Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA

In Curious Critters, ecology adorns every page touching on camouflage, symbiosis, feeding strategies, and metamorphosis to name a few. Furthermore, brief natural history descriptions are included in the back so parents can teach their kids a little more about their favorite critters as well as a match-the-silhouette activity to reinforce learning the common names (no scientific names are included). All-in-all I loved this book! It s beautiful! --Scientific American EvoEcoLab Blog Kevin Zelino

A Virginia opossum pauses, mid-patter, on a page in Curious Critters and grins winsomely. Whiskers splayed like curly spokes around its nose, the fuzzy marsupial peers out eagerly with beady eyes. Elsewhere, an Ohio crawfish extends both pincers a crustacean's version of a hug? Kids will perhaps recognize the creatures in this album of animal portraits by university professor David FitzSimmons; the unfamiliar species will surely make their must-see lists. Snappy narratives from the animals perspectives, sprinkled lightly with facts, accompany each bright, glossy photograph. I fly in the dark. I squeak and listen, squeak and listen, says a big brown bat. As my sounds bounce off objects, I hear where things are. It s called echolocation. A website offers games, coloring pages, e-cards, and behind-the-scenes info to keep kids (and adults) engaged beyond the page. --Julie Leibach, AudubonMagazine.org

From the Inside Flap

Amazing animals - from a beautiful butterfly to a crabby crayfish - posed for portraits. Good thing photographer and writer David FitzSimmons jotted down what the pink katydid, jabbering jay, poetic opossum, and other Curious Critters had to say!

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 2 - 8 years
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Wild Iris Publishing (November 7, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1936607697
• ISBN-13: 978-1936607693
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 11.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #196,250 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

David FitzSimmons is a free-lance photographer and writer as well as a university professor. David photographs and writes for various magazines, including Outdoor Photographer, Popular Photography, and Shutterbug, newspapers, and online publications. His 100+ calendar credits include numerous titles by BrownTrout and Barnes & Noble. Dave currently is at work on a handful of books. His most recent books include Animals of Ohio's Ponds and Vernal Pools (Kent State UP) and Curious Critters (Wild Iris, September 2011).

One of five Sigma Pro photographers in North America, David presents seminars and workshops to a wide variety of audiences, from public school groups and college classes to nature centers and civic organizations. His works have been exhibited at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute and the National Center for Nature Photography, and the Telluride Photo Festival, among other venues.

David, a former high school English teacher, has been teaching for 20 years. He is a professor at Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio. He holds a Ph.D. in English from Ohio State University, with a specialty in narrative theory--investigating the components of storytelling--something that influences his photography and writing.

Dave was inspired to photograph and write about nature by his parents, Mick and Judy FitzSimmons, active environmentalists and life-long teachers, and he is assisted in his natural history endeavors by his wife, Olivia, a naturalist, and his two daughters, Sarah and Phoebe.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Charming and beautiful! December 17, 2011

By MMaru

Format:Hardcover

This is a positively charming book! It features beautiful photos of several animals that are found in our own back yards and teaches readers about them in a creative way, using the voice of each creature. I read this book with a fellow grown woman and we were both giggling as we read it. It's extremely clever and will no doubt be a favorite for readers young and old!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun Critters, Friendly and Passionate author April 4, 2012

By Bioteach44

Format:Hardcover

I recently found this book and author at the National Science Teacher Association conference in Indianapolis. Curious Critters is an excellent rendition of wildlife photography at its simplest, focusing on the organisms themselves and nothing more (amazing what a white background can do!). And if the pictures aren't enough, the language is fun and inviting for the youngsters as well. My current favorite is the song that goes to the tune of "Rain Rain" but talks about the life cycle of the spotted salamander.

The author, David Fitzsimmons was also at the conference. Not only did David sign my book but he also spent some time talking about his passion of blending photography and children's literature. He also does readings and workshops for preschool-high school alike. Excellent book, David, and looking forward to more!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Top Notch Book! January 25, 2012

By Glimpse

Format:Hardcover

Unlike many books of this nature, Curious Critters doesn't focus on exotic animals that are hard to find, and are only in other countries. No, instead David FitzSimmons has chosen to photograph common animals...the kinds of critters that we'll find in our own backyard. A few examples are the Bluejay, a spotted salamander and a toad. Another aspect of the book that we truly enjoyed was that the author allows each of the animals' "personalities" to make an appearance. It is written as if each animal is talking to you...and even interacting with the animals on other pages of the book! Very fun and attention grabbing!

Curious Critters is both simple, yet stunning. Instead of busy, color-filled pages, the white backgrounds with some of nature's great critters proudly displayed on each page really is fabulous. Curious Critters is both entertaining but also educational and we love it!

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