Grade 1-3-Feathered, aquatic, and primate animals-all are highlighted in this book about the role a father plays in his offspring's life. Unfortunately, the repetitive use of the word "daddy" becomes tiresome and distracting, and several accounts may leave children with questions. After reading about the mallee fowl, for example, they may want to know how long the father tends the nest once the eggs have been laid. Sometimes this information is included, e.g., "The daddy [Darwin's frog] guards the eggs for ten to twenty days.-[then] he snaps them up with his tongue and slips them into his vocal sac, where they stay for about fifty-two days." On many pages, however, readers are given vague facts. Bond's realistic watercolor paintings nicely reflect the text, and do an excellent job of showing a loving relationship between the animal dads and their young against a backdrop that shows their natural habitat. Although this is a lovely book to look at, readers may want to supplement it with Russell Freedman's Animal Fathers (Holiday, 1976; o.p.).
Cathie Bashaw Morton, Somers Library, NY
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
K-Gr. 3. Batten introduces a variety of animal species in which the male parent assists in child rearing. She describes mostly birds and mammals, such as the Emperor penguin; Darwin's frog, which carries his babies in his mouth; the giant water bug, which incubates eggs on his back; and the seahorse, which carries babies in his pouch. Bond's acrylic paintings, mostly double-page spreads, exhibit a rich color palate and almost photographic detail. The use of the terms mommy and daddy seems a little informal for a nonfiction book and may preclude the book's use with slightly older readers, but this still offers a good deal of information in an attractive format and will be a welcome addition to most libraries. Kay Weisman
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