Animal Mouths by Mary Holland

Ages 4-8, Grades K-3

Hardcover $17.95

Paperback $9.95

About the book: What are some things we can learn about animals from the shape of their mouths, beaks, or bills? What can we infer about animals with sharp teeth compared to large, flat teeth? Are there any animals that don’t have mouths? In this second book of her “Animal Anatomy and Adaptation” series, award-winning nature photographer and environmental educator Mary Holland shares fascinating animal mouths with readers of all ages.

My thoughts: This is a lovely book that is packed with beautiful, engaging photographs of a variety of animals, insects, and creatures showcasing how their mouths are designed and work for the way each critter uses the mouth to eat, catch prey, and simply exist. Whether for capturing, crushing, spearing, chewing, tearing, or cutting the animals, plants, opponents each mouth is specifically and wonderfully designed for what that animal needs.

Children will love the pictures. Teachers in regular schools or in homeschools will love the educational text written so these young learners can enjoy and become engaged as they learn about Animal Mouths. The additional information is very good providing opportunities for further exploration of how mouths work and opportunities to stretch the minds a little.

Animals in the book:   caterpillar, chipmunk, evening grosbeak, frog, great egret, human, luna moth, monarch, opossum, porcupine, red-shouldered hawk, robber fly, snake, turtle, weasel

Arbordale again brings engaging learning to the child in a way that each child will enjoy learning their "science" lessons. In the back of the book is the "For Creative Minds" section. Here is a link so you can see how super it is. There is also a wealth of information on the book's webpage to aid in learning.

Author/illustrator Mary Holland is a naturalist, nature photographer, columnist, and award-winning author with a life-long passion for natural history. After graduating from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources, Mary worked as a naturalist at the Museum of the Hudson Highlands in New York state, directed the state-wide Environmental Learning for the Future program for the Vermont Institute of Natural Science, worked as a resource naturalist for the Massachusetts Audubon Society, and designed and presented her own “Knee-High Nature Programs” for libraries and elementary schools throughout Vermont and New Hampshire. In addition to Animal Eyes her children’s books include A Beaver’s Busy Year and Ferdinand Fox’s First Summer (NSTA/CBC Outstanding Science Trade Books, Moonbeam Bronze award) with Arbordale and Milkweed Visitors, (Science Books and Films’ list for the best books of 2006 in the category Children’s Books under Zoological Sciences). Mary’s book Naturally Curious: a Photographic Field Guide and Month-by-Month Journey Through the Fields, Woods and Marshes of New England won the 2011 National Outdoor Book Award for the Nature Guidebook category. Visit Mary’s blog at naturallycuriouswithmaryholland.wordpress.com

DISCLOSURE: A complimentary copy was provided by Arbordale Publishing to facilitate this review. No compensation was received and these are my personal opinions.