Review by Booklist Review
Jonathan Martin wasn't looking for glowing squirrels when he headed out to his Wisconsin backyard, but that's exactly what he found one fateful evening. Martin, a forest ecologist armed with an ultraviolet flashlight, had hoped to collect data on local frogs, but instead he caught a flash of glowing pink emanating from a flying squirrel. He texted a biologist friend about the finding, and with that, a scientific adventure in biofluorescence began. Further research revealed only one account of biofluorescent mammals from decades earlier, and the glowing squirrel quickly led to surprising discoveries. This fascinating account follows the saga of the luminous-animal adventure while also schooling readers in the specifics of scientific inquiry. There's a wonderfully conversational tone to the text, and it's packed with facts and funny asides. The accessible format comes with a range of purples, blacks, deep blues, and pinks, and vivid photographs and highlighted asides take brief timeouts from the narrative to expand on subjects or settings. Stellar storytelling sure to make a citizen scientist out of any curious reader.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4 Up--When a scientist accidentally finds a glowing flying squirrel in his backyard, a whole chain of scientific events is set into motion. Did you know there are mammals that glow different colors under a UV light? Or that this is called biofluorescence, which differs from bioluminescence? How about what a naturalist, a chemist, and a biologist might have in common and what their specific roles are in a scientific discovery? This title answers all those questions and so many more. The narrative nonfiction format reads like an adventure novel, exploding with every text feature imaginable from maps and diagrams to an abundance of sidebars devoted to deep dives on things like how UV light works and differences between mammal species. The text is strongly aligned to curriculum standards, covering topics such as animal traits and classification while thoroughly exploring the scientific process through story and inquiry. Abundant full-color photographs are sprinkled throughout as well as a QR code which links to a YouTube video of the glowing flying squirrels. Young explorers are encouraged to think critically, look at the varying perspectives of a new discovery, and seek out their own observations. Parrot-Ryan urges, "Discoveries don't have to come in a flashy neon package to lead to some exciting science." An author's note, glossary, index, and suggested further reading are also included in the back matter. VERDICT A must-purchase for collections serving curious minds, suitable for upper elementary or middle grades.--Emily Beasley
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