Bubble Homes & Fish Farts (Toot-toot)
Thursday, January 29th, 2009
So! It’s out. I have a fart book. A whole box of them, actually. Does this mean no one will take me seriously? (Like THAT was going to happen!) Oh well. Working with great people and having a great time will be my revenge. Ha! I should mention at some point that Bubble Homes & Fish Farts was written by Fiona Bayrock, so it’s her book, too. It was her book first, If you want to get technical about it. I am only the illustrator…
We got a nice review from Kirkus. (One more TOOT.) Interested? Read on.
Bayrock’s love of “way cool science” bubbles over in this surprisingly substantial book. How do animals use bubbles? For sailing, running, breathing, nesting–even playing (dolphins seem to blow bubbles just for fun). Sixteen double-page spreads cover 16 wholly different ways that fish, insects, amphibians and mammals use bubbles. Did you know that one species of spider creates a bubble home to live in underwater? That the popping bubbles of snapping shrimp can be “so loud it gets in the way of U.S. Navy sonar”? That the water shrew can actually run across the surface of the water courtesy of the bubbles trapped between its hairy toes? Lively expository prose deftly combines straightforward facts (the scientific name of each animal), sound effects (the “fwap-fwap-fwap-fwap” of tree frogs creating foam) and kid-friendly comparisons (the gourami fish spitting eggs into its nest looks like it’s playing basketball). Conahan’s whimsical watercolor illustrations, complete with conversational bubbles, add humor and interest. Three pages of additional facts and a combined glossary/index round out a volume that’s sure to rise to the top. (Informational picture book. 5-10) KIRKUS Jan 15/09
