"Galapagos" Means "Tortoises" [Illustrated] [Paperback]

Ruth Heller (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

In verse that sings with lively cadences and rollicking rhymes, award-winning author-illustrator Ruth Heller has captured the spirit and antics of twelve of the Galapagos Islands' most unusual and fascinating creatures. This lavishly illustrated gallery showcases the giant tortoises for which the islands were named, as well as sea lions, both land and marine iguanas, Sally Lightfoot crabs, and several kinds of sea birds, including the rare and exotic blue-footed boobies.
While the poems and pictures are plenty of fun, they also convey a wealth of information about these creatures' habits and habitats, along with a lively sense of their presence. This one-of-a-kind volume is sure to enchant wildlife lovers of all ages.
"The fluent play with words, humorous commentary, and fine pictures offer pleasing fare for reading aloud . . . ."
--School Library Journal
(20030827)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-Heller's facility with words and her capable artistry have given her a special niche in creating picture-book presentations of nonfiction subjects. In this title, giant tortoises and blue-footed boobies lead a parade of animals of the Gal pagos Islands. Fluid rhymes that describe the bodies and behavior of these creatures as well as iguanas, seals, flamingos, and other birds accompany realistic paintings that fill single pages or spill across the double-page spreads. The well-designed book features front and back endpapers with a map and a handsome assemblage of the wildlife. The contents page appears at the end of the book and faces an author's note outlining the rise and fall of the tortoise population. The fluent play with words, humorous commentary, and fine pictures offer pleasing fare for reading aloud, and the book is versatile in its possibilities for personal enjoyment or classroom teaching about poetry, unusual animals, or the Gal pagos Islands.-Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

Galapagos Means "Tortoises" (Gibbs Smith, $ 6.95, ages 5 to 9) Written in partnership with Sierra Club Books for Children, here is a rhyming story that highlights the creatures of the archipelago. Detailed illustrations bring flamingos, sea lions and blue-footed boobies to life. A gem, now re-released in paperback. (Jennifer Okamoto Dallas Morning News )

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 48 pages
• Publisher: Gibbs Smith; 1 edition (May 21, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1578051010
• ISBN-13: 978-1578051014
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.3 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #315,150 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #24 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Animals > Reptiles & Amphibians > Fiction
  • #52 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Animals > Reptiles & Amphibians > Nonfiction

More About the Author

"Writing and illustrating my own books have given me the opportunity to choose subjects of interest to me."--Ruth HellerAfter receiving a fine arts degree from the University of California at Berkeley and completing two years of graduate work in design at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland, Ruth Heller began her career designing wrapping paper, cocktail napkins, greeting cards, and coloring books. After five years of rejection and one complete revision, Heller's first book, Chickens Aren't the Only Ones, about egg-laying animals, was published in 1981. It was so successful that the sequel, and second book to be published, Animals Born Alive And Well (1982), about mammals, quickly followed. In 1983 and 1984, her third and fourth titles, The Reason For A Flower (about plants that have seeds and flowers) and Plants That Never Ever Bloom (about plants that do not) were published.She then began work on a collection of six books, the How To Hide series on camouflage and the magic of this phenomenon in nature, which covered the entire animal kingdom -- insects, birds, mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and sea creatures. The next collection of books became a five-volume series on parts of speech: A Cache of Jewels and Other Collective Nouns; Kites Sail High: A Book About Verbs; Many Luscious Lollipops: A Book About Adjectives; Merry-Go- Round: A Book About Nouns; and Up, Up and Away: A Book About Adverbs. She also wrote and illustrated the unique and fascinating book Color, a charming and instructive guide to how art goes through the four color printing process.Among the notable people who have had an influence on Heller's writing have been: Ogden Nash, Gilbert and Sullivan, Edward Lear, Hilaire Belloc, and Dr. Seuss. Heller says of her work, "All my books are nonfiction picture books in rhyme. I find writing in rhyme enjoyable and challenging, and I think it is an easy way for children to learn new facts and acquire a sophisticated vocabulary. Children are not intimidated by big words. I try to make my writing succinct and allow the illustrations to convey as much information as possible."On October 31, 1995, Grosset & Dunlap continues Heller's parts-of-speech books with the publication of Behind the Mask: A Book About Prepositions, a clever, thoughtful, eye-pleasing explanation of just how prepositions tell us about the "when" and "where" of things.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Elementary Choice for Naturalistic Study or Poetry Appreciation, November 23, 2010

By 

Shanna A. Gonzalez "eyelevelbooks.com" (Gaithersburg, MD) - See all my reviews

This review is from: "Galapagos" Means "Tortoises" (Paperback)

Galapagos Means "Tortoises" is a captivating collection of poems devoted to the animals found on the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador. There are well-written, accessible poems describing the characteristics of giant tortoises, blue- and red-footed boobies, iguanas, crabs, sea lions, flamingos, and Darwin's famous finches. These are all illustrated with wonderfully engaging pictures that present a close-up view of each animal.

This excellent read-aloud is both informational and entertaining, making it a good choice for introducing an elementary audience to both naturalistic study and poetry appreciation.

0 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Glapagos Means Tortoises, January 9, 2007

By 

Kenneth Cuddeback (Deerfield, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: "Galapagos" Means "Tortoises" (Paperback)

Mini term theme was South America. The kids enjoyed this book. Perfect for our theme.