Review by Booklist Review
Rather than focusing on a region or behavior, this book of weird creatures is uniquely organized by color. And not just any color, but fluffy, sparkly, princessy pink, and if you are anticipating cute and cuddly, you are way off the mark. Nearly all the rosy animals collected here are bizarre, from the ugly, flesh-colored blobfish and the bristly hairy squat lobster to the delicate pink fairy armadillo, which resembles a long toenail atop a feather duster. The roseate spoonbill, Amazon river dolphin, and pink sea star are the most recognizable of the bunch, but they are quickly overshadowed by the likes of the orchid mantis and Hopkins' rose nudibranch. Each two-page spread pairs a full-color, close-up photo of the creature with an approachable paragraph describing some of its key features, a fascinating fact (Antilles pinktoe spiderlings are bright blue when they hatch), and an at-a-glance rundown of basic facts. The comical tone makes this particularly inviting, and DeGrand's cartoonish illustrations only add to the fun. A playful introduction to the kookier corners of the animal kingdom.--Hunter, Sarah Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Pink is so much more than cupcakes and princesses-some of the most unusual animals on the planet boast rosy hues. Using a playful "pink is for" refrain, Keating (the My Life Is a Zoo series) opens her World of Weird Animals series by familiarizing readers with such creatures as the pink fairy armadillo, pygmy seahorse, Amazon river dolphin, and naked mole rat. Crisp photography combines with DeGrand's goofy cartoon interpretations of each animal. Keating maintains a casual tone while delivering intriguing details about each animal; sidebars chart key statistics, including size, predators, and diet. Readers will never look at pink the same way. Ages 5-8. Author's agent: Kathleen Rushall, Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-4-Keating explores 17 animals, including amphibians, insects, fish, reptiles, birds, and mammals from around the world-all of them pink. The cover alone, which depicts a glossy pink blobfish against a matte black background, will attract plenty of attention, and the subject matter will hold it. The first page, with text in neon pink letters against a black background, teases, "Think you know pink? Think again." Among the animals covered are the naked mole rat, the pinktoe tarantula, and the roseate spoonbill. On each spread, Keating introduces a different strange and fascinating creature; included are a full-body photo, a funny cartoon illustration, a brief paragraph of information, a listing of basic facts, and a high-interest inset, all contrasted against a variety of vibrant backgrounds. A range map is included on the final spread. VERDICT A popular addition for larger collections or those in need of materials on nontypical animals.-Carol S. Surges, formerly at Longfellow Middle School, Wauwatosa, WI © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Seventeen of the world's oddest creatures share a single characteristic: their pink coloration. For the opening title in her new series, Keating features weird and wonderful animals ranging from a deep-sea fish made of "gelatinous goo" to a tiny barrel-sponge occupant called a hairy squat lobster. In between, there are relatively familiar species such as hippopotamuses, roseate spoonbills, and Amazon river dolphins and more exotic ones such as the orchid mantis, pink fairy armadillo, and southern blind snake. Each double-page spread introduces a single animal with a photograph on the left and information on the facing page. A paragraph of description is followed by another about some intriguing aspectperhaps the animal's aposematic coloration that warns predators off or its hermaphroditic habits. This second paragraph is illustrated with a cartoon and set off with a blobby design feature that repeats in the colorful page backgrounds. Sidebars offer fast facts including name, Latin name, size, diet, habitat, and predators and threats. These texts will challenge the intended audience. They're full of interesting but likely unfamiliar terms: carrion, deforestation, eusocial, negative phototaxis. These are printed in boldface in the text and defined in context and in a glossary. There are helpful suggestions for further research. Habitat ranges on an unlabeled world map are keyed to an alphabetical list of the animals, but there's no index. An intriguing approach for animal-fact enthusiasts. (Informational picture book. 7-11) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
