★ 2020-01-21
An engaging and comprehensive exploration of the physics of animal movement.
A grappling hook and a caterpillar, a pendulum and a gibbon, or lever and a turtle—these are just a few examples of tools used to demonstrate the biomechanics of animal movement. Whether it is walking, running, hopping, crawling, climbing, or gliding, thorough explanations of how animals fight or use the forces of gravity, lift, drag, and thrust to travel on land, water, or air are contextualized in ways young readers can easily comprehend. Through text and illustration, information is expertly presented, with each double-page spread focusing on one kind of movement. These are broken down into various steps that create an overall narrative, but each nugget of text is also a complete concept that takes into account a variety of nonfiction reading styles, including those that like to cherry-pick little bits of information. A conclusion sparks curiosity and inquiry by asking readers to pay attention to the animals around them and think about how they are moving and how movements differ from animal to animal, bridging a connection to their daily worlds while also tying the study of animal biomechanics to innovative pursuits such as making better prosthetics, robots, and swimsuits.
Jump, hop, or pounce on this winning, informative title. (table of contents, sources, index) (Nonfiction. 9-12)
