Whose Tail Is This? Wayne Lynch. North Vancouver, BC: Walrus Books/Whitecap Books, 2010. 30 pp., pbk., $6.95. ISBN 978-1-77050-008-2. Subject Heading: Tail-Juvenile literature. Preschool-grade 2 / Ages 4-7. Review by Valerie Nielsen. **** /4

excerpt:

Most wild animals have some kind of tail. We humans are quite unusual because don't have any tail, not even a tiny one…Animals have tails of many different shapes and sizes…

Whose Tail is This? is the eighth book in award-winning author and photographer Wayne Lynch's popular animal series. Each of the eight volumes challenges children from preschool to grade 2 to guess an animal based on a close-up photo of one particular body part (or as in Whose Baby is This? and Whose House is This? its offspring or habitat.) As might be expected, Whose Bottom is This? is a favourite among the young set!

     Whose Tail is This? is a beautifully designed book with a clearly written, easy-to-understand, large-print text. The visually stunning photographs are enhanced with sidebars offering fascinating tidbits of information on each of the featured animals.

      The first-person text features a close-up of each tail and takes the form of a detailed description: "When I am walking or running I often carry my long, striped tail high above my back like a flag…" followed by the question: in bold print: Who am I? A flip of the page reveals a full-sized photo plus further interesting details about the nature and habits of the creature on which the author has focused. A boon for young researchers and their teachers is found in the easy-to read index appearing on the last page.

      Young listeners will delight in the pictures and eagerly participate in the game, even (or perhaps especially) when they know the answer. Sharing Whose Tail is This? with 4 to 7-year-olds should provide both the example and the motivation to play "Who am I" games involving other familiar creatures. Elementary schools and childcare facilities will want to have the entire series and, in fact, as many of the books on nature and wildlife by this author (many co-authored by his talented wife Aubrey Lang) that they can lay their hands on.

Highly Recommended.

A retired teacher-librarian, Valerie Nielsen lives in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

Hosted by the University of Manitoba.

 

NEXT REVIEW | TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THIS ISSUE - June 11, 2010.

AUTHORS | TITLES | MEDIA REVIEWS | PROFILES | BACK ISSUES | SEARCH | CMARCHIVE | HOME