Melissa Stewart is the award-winning author of more than one
hundred fifty science books for children. She holds degrees in
biology and science journalism. Recent books include Seashells-
More Than a Home, Feathers- Not Just for Flying; No Monkeys, No
Chocolate; and Can an Aardvark Bark?
Sarah S. Brannen is the author and illustrator of Bear Needs Help,
Madame Martine, and the illustrator of Feathers- Not Just for
Flying; Digging for Troy- From Homer to Hisarlik; and At Home in
Her Tomb- Lady Dai and the Ancient Chinese Treasures of Mawangdui.
sarahbrannen.yellapalooza.com
Hibernating in the summer is a thing for some animals, and Stewart,
a science writer, hooks kids on the concept of estivation from page
1. Fun facts about the sleeping habits of a dozen animals like
spotted turtles and desert hedgehogs help kids realize that nature
is so cool. Brannen’s watercolors depicting the species while
active and at rest add to the wow factor.
—Parents Magazine
♦ Employing her splendid talent for making science cool, Melissa
Stewart (Can an Aardvark Bark?) introduces young readers to
creatures that go dormant not through the winter, but during the
summer. Hibernation is a well-known concept; estivation less so.
Stewart aims to change that. Her enthusiasm for these unfamiliar
snoozers, combined with stunningly realistic watercolor
illustrations by Sarah S. Brannen (illustrator of Stewart's
Feathers: Not Just for Flying), make summer sleepers the superstars
in the charming nonfiction picture book Summertime Sleepers:
Animals that Estivate.
The main text offers general groupings of animals that estivate:
"Some hard-shelled creatures climb up high for a nap.../ ...while
others doze underground." Then, in secondary narratives, specific
critters take the spotlight: "When the days grow long and hot, land
snails cling to tree branches and seal their shells shut. Their
heart rates slow, and they barely breathe as they wait for cooler
days." To offer even more information for eager learners, a
black-and-white logbook page appears amid the lush colors of the
illustrations. The page includes the animals' scientific names,
sizes and detailed sketches an observer might record while watching
them.
Brannen's art is as captivating as the information it illuminates.
The lifelike depictions include vital intricacies--variegated
shading on the shells of the snails, wisps of whiskers on the
yellow-bellied marmot--as well as a sense of depth and texture. The
illustrations are not only incredibly enjoyable, they're also
accurate and informative. Summertime Sleepers is a gem that should
spark children's interest in science, in the world around them and
in the joy of learning. And what better bedtime reading than a book
that features everyone sleeping? --Jen Forbus, freelancerDiscover:
Melissa Stewart and Sarah S. Brannen team up again in this dazzling
picture book about the wonders of animals that sleep not through
the winter, but through the summer.
—Shelf Awareness Reader, starred review
While most kids know about hibernators, few have heard of
estivators, animals that experience a prolonged dormant state
during the summer. This colorful book introduces a dozen summer
sleepers. Each appears on a double-page spread complete with a
sentence in large type, a somewhat longer section of text in
smaller type, and a notebook-style feature that includes sketches
of the animal and indicates its actual size, range location, and
scientific name. Representing groups as diverse as insects,
crustaceans, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals, the animals
include the tiny mangrove killifish that flips head-over-tail until
it lands in a water-filled hollow log, and the versatile
yellow-bellied marmot, which outdoes itself by hibernating and
estivating. Some animals use burrows abandoned by other creatures,
while others make their own nests for estivation. Stewart’s lively
text offers entertaining factoids while clearly explaining how
different animals use estivation to survive in hot, dry places.
Brannen’s pleasing illustrations, both sketches and watercolor
scenes, enable the audience to envision the animals within their
habitats. An attractive science book on an uncommon but interesting
topic.
—Booklist
This picture book provides an appealing survey of a dozen animals
that estivate. Brannen’s simple, adept illustration on the cover
introduces a pleasing pictorial scheme. The brief text highlights
different places where animals sleep, including tree crevices,
muddy hollows, and empty rodent holes. Ladybugs, fish, butterflies,
lizards, and the yellow-bellied marmot are featured. Each spread
depicts two views of the resting animal. Gentle watercolor scenes
include a small black-and-white page that resembles a guidebook
entry, which offers a sketch of the animal, its name, and brief
facts. Readers learn that scientists have recently given more
attention to the study of estivation. End material offers more
details about each animal. Author and illustrator notes, a
bibliography, and a substantial list of print and online resources
are included. VERDICT A well-crafted and attractive text for animal
fans, and a suitable introduction to the scientific concept of
estivation.
—School Library Journal
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