Customer Reviews

Sisters and Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World

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Sisters and Brothers: Sibling Relationships in the Animal World presents all kinds of information and fun facts about animal siblings. For example, did you know that nine-banded armadillos are ALWAYS born as identical quadruplets? Well, did ya? I bet you didn't know that there are no male New Mexico whiptail lizards or that cheetah brothers hunt together throughout their lives while the sisters separate from their families when they're two years old to start their own. Pretty cool, huh?

The book features 19 different species of animals from elephants and beavers to European shrews and giant anteaters. Splendid cut-and-torn paper collage illustrations compliment each paragraph of intriguing information, and a fun caption accompanies each illustration. I especially love the caption by the black widow spider's egg sac: "I'm having my family for dinner..." Eeeeek!

It's a challenge to write engaging nonfiction for young children, and Jenkins and Page have definitely risen to the challenge and created a book that children of all ages will enjoy. Even very young children who may not understand the text will be fascinated by the illustrations. I highly recommend this for any child who loves animals.

In Sisters and Brothers, authors Steve Jenkins and Robin Page provide brief yet informative and engaging descriptions of the sibling relationships of 19 animals (which include the sibling-less giant anteater) and the characteristics of their relationships. The information is presented in accessible language and has a high interest factor due to the fascinating information on each animal. For example, the giant anteater is an only child and stays with its mother for two years; young cichlids grow alongside their adopted catfish siblings; baby Nile crocodiles learn the value of cooperation since before birth; young grizzly bear cubs will fight until one leaves home to search for a different territory to call its own; and many other interesting facts make this a riveting read.

Besides describing the way these animals interact with each other, other information is also provided such as their habitats, what they eat, their reproduction, etc. The animals featured in this book are African elephants, Gould's long-eared bats, Nine-banded armadillos, New Mexico whiptail lizards, naked mole rats, termites, grizzly bears, spotted hyenas, black widow spiders, cheetahs, peregrine falcons, wild turkeys, beavers, Nile crocodiles, European shrews, great crested grebe, cichlids, Asian koels, and the Giant anteater. An engaging, informative, and fun read!