Biggest, Strongest, Fastest (Hardcover)

by Steve Jenkins (Author) "Animals live all around us..." (more)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal
Kindergarten-Grade 2?Large, clear print; fascinating facts; and beautiful, detailed, cut-paper collages make this excellent title a delight. One main fact is presented per spread about each of 14 animals, e.g., "The Etruscan shrew, the world's smallest mammal, could sleep in a teaspoon." Two more relevant facts are given in smaller print. Silhouette drawings show comparative sizes?the blue whale is shown next to an adult human. The realistic, inventive, textured illustrations, mostly double spreads, flow smoothly from page to page. A helpful chart at the end contains further information about each creature, such as diet and habitat. An all-round superlative effort.?Jan Shepherd Ross, Dixie Elementary Magnet School, Lexington, KY
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Ages 4-9. Beautiful double-page-spread cut-paper collages illustrate a picture book about "some of the biggest and smallest, fastest and slowest, strongest and longest" record holders in the animal world. The facts are amazing. Their juxtaposition makes you gasp, not just about size and speed but about comparative wonders. Right after the African elephant, which eats more than 300 pounds of grass and leaves every day, there's a close-up two-page picture of an ant, which turns out to be the strongest animal for its size: it can carry five times its own weight. The book's design makes it accessible at many levels. The youngest can identify the various creatures. Preschoolers can enjoy the one-sentence descriptions in large type ("The cheetah can run faster than any other animal. . . . The flea is very small, but it is the world's best jumper"). Older kids will love thinking about the additional facts regarding scale and proportion that are printed in small type, accompanied by a tiny silhouette in the corner of each picture ("If a 5 1/2-foot-tall woman could jump as well as a flea, she could leap to the top of a 65-story building"). Here's proof that power isn't just about size and that science can be a lot of fun. Hazel Rochman

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children (March 27, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0395697018
• ISBN-13: 978-0395697016
• Product Dimensions: 10.6 x 8.3 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #868,900 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Steve Jenkins Rocks!, October 15, 2004

By	Allison D "Allison D" (Tucson, AZ United States) - See all my reviews

Ever since I discovered Steve Jenkins, I've been seeking out each and every one of his books. I love his illustration style, and his books lay the groundwork for a love of science and an interest in the wonders of the world. This book nicely complements Animal Dads, What Do You Do With a Tail Like This, and What Do You Do When Something Wants To Eat You. All of these titles illustrate biological variation, adaptation, and the relationship between form and function. Yet the illustrations are bold and uncluttered and the text is short and easy to read aloud. Like his other books, Biggest, Strongest, Fastest features the main text in a large font with additional information (2 or 3 sentences) in a smaller font. You can decide to read more about an animal depending on your child's interest level. What I really like about this book is that it also takes advantage of children's natural fascination with superlatives. You don't just read about any snake, you learn about the biggest snake (the anaconda). Every new animal illustration is accompanied by a smaller picture showing the relative sizes of the animal and a human. Preschoolers and kindergarteners absorb new information and facts like a sponge, so don't be surprised if your child starts to recite information from the book when you visit the zoo. Whether you simply want to celebrate diversity in animal life or you want to lay a foundation for discussing evolution when a child is older, this book is a great choice for young children.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, September 26, 2007

By	MomOfTwo (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Biggest, Strongest, Fastest (Paperback)

My 5-year old son never gets tired of reading this book! Great details and context provided, so that a young child can grasp just how big, fast, strong, etc., these animals are.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great book for kids and adults!!!, July 12, 2007

By	Corin E. Huckeba "mountain vampire" (Pisgah Forest, NC USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Biggest, Strongest, Fastest (Paperback)

I love this book and so does my daughter. She learns alot and has fun. I highly recommend this book to anyone. Seller shipped very quickly.