Author: David McLimans
Illustrator: David McLimans
Peach’s Picks Rating:
Year of publication: 2006
City of publication: New York
Publisher: Walker & Company
ISBN: 978-0-8027-9563-2
Author website: http://davidmclimans.com/
Illustrator website: See “Author website” entry
Media used for illustrations: Pencil, pen, brush, India ink, bristol board and computer
Annotation: Alphabet book incorporating select features of endangered animals into each boldly designed uppercase letter. Information about the animal’s habitat, range, threats, and endangered status are included.
Personal reaction to the book: This Caldecott Medal Honor book is an excellent choice to begin discussions about endangered species. It also could be used in art and design classes. The book’s design is quite striking. Each page contains a representation of a letter that begins the common name of an endangered animal; for example, page 6, illustrates an uppercase “F” created by using the silhouetted heads of two flamingos. Each letter of the alphabet is shown in uppercase and is placed in the middle of the page in bold, black graphics. Every letter has some element of an endangered animal distinctly incorporated into it. The pages have white backgrounds that crisply highlight the black letters. The bottom outside corner of each page contains a box with a silhouette of the animal represented on the page, scientific class, habitat, range, threat level, and endangered status. This information is printed using red ink which nicely complements the upper and lower case letters printed in red directly above. The layout invites the reader’s eye to first examine the bold, black letter in the center of the page. Red ink draws the reader’s eye to the side of the page where the upper and lowercase letters and the information box are vertically placed, similar to a sidebar. The author/illustrator opens the book with an introduction discussing why he selected the animals depicted and an explanation of the three categories used to describe their level of endangerment. Attractively laid out back matter provides more information about each animal. Endnotes provide information about organizations that help endangered animals and a bibliography. Educators using this book in art and design classes might also include these two other graphically interesting alphabet books: Alphab’art: Find the Letters Hidden in the Paintings by Anne Guery and The Human Alphabet by Pilobolus.
General curricular connections:
- Science / Endangered species
- Alphabet books
- Art and design
Recommended grade levels:
School Library Journal recommends this book for use with grades 3 and up
Peach’s Picks recommends this book for use with grades 2 and up
Awards/Recognitions:
Caldecott Honor, 2007
ALA Notable Children’s Books, Young Readers, 2007
Note: This book was selected from the list “Other books receiving Top Ten votes, Summer 2009."
Repetition in illustration: Design layout is the same on each page
Book cover picture retrieved from http://www.ala.org/ala/mgrps/divs/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecotthonors/ALA_print_layout_1_455517_455517.cfm
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