Genre 4 Nonfiction: WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A TAIL LIKE THIS?

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jenkins, Steve and Robin Page. 2003. WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A TAIL LIKE THIS? Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 0618256288

PLOT SUMMARY
This non-fiction book by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page is an interesting book about animals. It is a “guessing book”. The reader is given picture clues of the various animals on one set of pages, and then the second set of pages answers the questions. At the end of the book is a picture dictionary that shows all the animals that are mentioned in the book. It gives easy yet good descriptions and more in-depth explanations of the animals.

CRITICAL ANALYSIS
This book begins with an informational page on how to use this book. Clear instructions tell the reader to look at the various animal body parts and then “guess” which animal they belong to. The opening page also tells the reader about the glossary at the end of the book. A typical set of pages starts with a two page spread with a question about an animal body part, and then the next two pages show the full animals and the answers to the question. One set up had the question “What do you do with ears like these?” The pictures were of rabbit ears, a cricket leg, bat ears, hippopotamus ears and humpback whale ears. Turning the page showed the reader full pictures of the animals with information about how each animal hears things. The reader learns that a cricket hears with ears that are on its knees, and that a hippopotamus can close its ears under water. This book is informative and entertaining at the same time. The beautiful illustrations on each page look as if someone has cut out paper animals and pasted them to the pages. The illustrations are very colorful and add a rich texture to the pages. The text is done in a unique way. The text often follows the lines of each animal. If an animal has curves to its shape, then the text will curve around the animal. The text is done differently for each animal depending on its shape. This clever way of formatting the text makes it very interesting to read. At the end of the book is a well written and informative picture dictionary describing the animals from the book. Many of the animals would be well-known to children, while some of the animals are less well-know and are very unique. The glossary at the end would prove to be of great value if the students are interested in these animals and have more questions about them. Some of the unique animals that are talked about in the book are the four-eyed fish, the blue-footed booby, the star-nosed mole and the archer fish. All of these interesting animals have well written explanations next to a small picture in the glossary. This entertaining and informational book would definitely be a joy to read aloud and share with children.

REVIEW EXCERPTS
"From School Library JournalKindergarten-Grade 4-Jenkins, this time in collaboration with his wife, has created yet another eye-opening book. Children will learn that lizards can completely break off their tail as a defense and that it will grow back. And, they'll find out that crickets' ears are on their knees. Most fish have two eyes, but some have four, the better to see above and below the water at the same time. These are just a few of the fascinating facts of nature dangled out front to draw readers into this beautifully illustrated book."

From Booklist"*Starred Review* PreS-Gr. 2. Here's another exceptional cut-paper science book from Jenkins, this time put together with a partner, and like previous books, it's a stunner. An opening page, clearly explaining how to use the book, is followed by a double-page spread picturing the mouths of several different animals, accompanied by the question, "What do you do with a mouth like this?" The next spread shows each animal in full, explaining in a few simple words how the part functions."

CONNECTIONS
Read other animal books by the author Steve Jenkins: SLAP, SQUEAK, AND SCATTER, and ANIMALS IN FLIGHT
Make a class mural of "cut paper" animals
Display other books about some of the unique animals in the book