Review by Booklist Review
Salamanders aren't the warmest or fuzziest creatures, and the reproductive cycle of amphibians may not seem like the most thrilling topic for an elementary science unit, but this nicely illustrated, lyrical picture book should attract the attention of young audiences while making content accessible and memorable. The text piques curiosity (When snow begins to melt and cool rains begin to fall, spotted salamanders crawl out of their woodland hideaways), while additional material effectively weaves in creative imagery alongside facts (With their soft snouts, they gently nudge each other. Following the steps of their ancestors, they dance all night long). Explanations of metamorphosis (egg to larvae, gills to lungs, water to land) are accompanied by lush, full-page illustrations that reinforce the described physical changes while highlighting woodland-habitat details. The story covers a full year, through spring mating, summer maturation, winter hibernation, and back to spring reawakening. A glossary and two pages of technical information round out the offering, making this an especially satisfying choice for budding naturalists.--McBroom, Kathleen Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The life cycles of spotted salamanders unfold through the seasons in a lush woodland. FitzSimmons vividly describes the amphibians' behavior, including their "nighttime ballet" in vernal pools. The salamanders' (mating) dance results in "jelly-like sacs" of eggs attached to branches in the pool; after hatching, the baby salamanders soon leave their watery home for land, shedding their gills and growing lungs. Newcomer DiGiorgio creates an immersive semiaquatic environment in his vibrant paintings, the salamanders' bright yellow spots shining like beacons amid the deep blues of the vernal pools. It's an affectionate tribute to a little noticed species. Endnotes provide further details about the salamanders and their environment. Ages 5-7. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-With vivid language and illustrations that reward careful looking, this book introduces readers to the life cycle of the spotted salamander, a colorful amphibian that lives in underground forest burrows and vernal pools that fill up in the late winter or early spring. The cycle begins when the spotted salamanders leave their underground homes and migrate to pools, where they "dance in the dark," lay their eggs, and, in time, return once again to their woodland hideaways. The poetic text makes this an excellent choice for reading aloud and for careful study. Words slide off the tongue ("Through slippery leaves, down muddy slopes, salamanders slide silently into the rising waters of their vernal pool."), and the repeated "Clack! Clack! Clack!" of the wood frogs will appeal to readers' sense of sound. Words such as vernal pool and metamorphosis are clearly explained. The illustrations support and extend the writing. A spread of the forest on a late winter evening, depicted with dramatic deep blues and greens, reveals, on close inspection, other animals-an owl and a muskrat-lurking nearby. The visuals also include a variety of perspectives, offering readers a view from the bottom of the vernal pool as well as a look down into the pool from the surrounding land. Some images zoom in to provide close-ups of salamander eggs and developing larvae or underground homes; others zoom out to present a view of the surrounding forest and other forest animals. VERDICT An excellent addition to science units on animals and the environments they need in order to thrive.-Myra Zarnowski, City University of New York © Copyright 2016. 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.
