“Though they are not exactly glamorous, and though poets do not write about them in praise, feet are remarkable things. In the animal kingdom they come in all shapes and sizes, with each set being perfectly adapted to the lifestyle of the animal that they belong to. Feet help animals catch food, evade predators, build homes, and migrate long distances. They can “walk, run, and kick” and “climb, jump, and dig.” Some also help the animal swim. The cheetah’s feet help the beautiful cat travel at remarkable speeds so that it can catch prey. Zebra’s feet are perfectly adapted to help the striped animal get away from predators and they can deliver such a powerful kick that they can “break a lion’s jaw.” A duck’s webbed feet are perfect for swimming, and they also prevent ducks from sinking into the mud that can be found along the shores of lakes and ponds. Blue-footed boobies also have webbed feet but instead of being orange, yellow, or grey like the feet of ducks, their feet are a shocking blue color. The male boobies use their feet to display to female boobies, stepping high and dancing to get their attention. Turtles also have feet that are designed to help them swim. They have flippers that are so well suited to pushing the turtle through water that they are not well suited to moving around on the land. This wonderful picture book will charm young animal lovers. With colorful artwork and interesting facts on every spread, this is a title that will encourage young children to look at animals in new ways.”—Marya Jansen_Gruber
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I've Got Feet: Fantastical Feet of the Animal World
A cheetah has fast feet that run. A gecko has sticky feet that climb. What do your feet do? Animals from around the world describe their feet and how they use their feet in this fun illustrated non-fiction book. Facts about how an animal’s feet are key adaptations to their survival supplement the descriptive narration. Young readers will love to compare their feet to those in the animal kingdom.
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I’ve Got Eyes!: Exceptional Eyes of the Animal World
Animals in varied habitats describe unique features of their eyes and how they are adapted for the jungle, the deep ocean, the desert, and even the dark. From bulging eyes to hiding eyes, handlebar eyes to double-decker eyes, young readers will learn about the diversity of the animal world in this nonfiction picture book.
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I've Got a Tail!: Terrific Tails of the Animal World
From dolphins with tails that spin to a viper whose tail looks like a spider, animals from around the world describe how their tails help them survive. Covering adaptations to desert, ocean, forest, and artic habitats, this narrative nonfiction picture book highlights the diversity of the animal world.
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I've Got . . .
Zoologist Julie Murphy and artist Hannah Tolson team up to show animals with unique adaptations. Each title focuses on one body part, highlighting such oddities as the blue-footed booby, the tarsier with eyes larger than its brain, and the ring-tailed lemur, whose tail is stinky! What all the animals have in common are unique features that allow them to survive their varied habitats. Animals around the world take center stage in these tributes to the diversity of the animal world.
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Complete Series of 3: your price $53.97
“A gamboling gallery of animal feet in action. Tolson’s cheery paint-and-cut-paper views of smiling animals on the move carry a light but, considering the thundering herd of similar surveys available, unexceptional load. They illustrate a survey of how animal feet are adapted to run, jump, climb, swim, dig, grip, kick, keep eggs warm, and—in the case of the male blue-footed booby—attract the ladies. Readers will come away with a solid grasp of the notion that there are different sorts of feet, but it’s misleading to claim that “CHEETAH feet never slip,” and as Murphy sticks to vertebrates for her 13 examples, the “feet” of snails and insects go unnoted. Moreover, she skips past adaptive differences in bone structure or other internal anatomy, nor does she offer print or online leads for young investigators who might want a leg up on, for instance, the three basic types of mammalian foot. A quick hop, skip, and jump over the topic, adequate for first impressions but a large step behind Ingo Arndt’s Best Foot Forward (2013).”
“Thirteen animals of all kinds expressively describe their distinctive eyes and vision. ‘I’ve got oblong eyes. My wide eyes make sure no one creeps up on me!’ a goat says. A chameleon has ‘solo eyes. My eyes can work alone, with each one looking in a different direction.’ A stalk-eyed fly describes its ‘handlebar eyes,’ and the crocodile fish has ‘hiding eyes’ concealed by lacy flaps of skin. On right-hand pages, zoologist Murphy provides descriptions of the animals’ eye anatomy and the way the world looks to the disparate species: ‘Each of the camel’s eyes has two rows of eyelashes and three eyelids to keep out dust and sand. It’s like having built-in goggles!’ Tolson’s art resembles cut-paper collage with crayonlike accents. Murphy concludes by inviting readers to think about their own vision: ‘You’ve got eyes too! What can your eyes do?’ The blend of science and playful depictions brings the intriguing topic to life. Ages 5–8.”