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Wells, Robert
8 Reviews
(4)
K-3
Lively, cartoonish pen-and-ink illustrations (including some scientific diagrams) and a brief text attempt to explain how animals on Earth use the sun. The scientific vocabulary is a little challenging for the audience to which the art seems aimed; a glossary and pronunciation guide would be helpful. Nevertheless, for precocious science-loving youngsters, this is a solid choice.
Reviewer: Barbara Barstow
(3)
K-3
Two youngsters, their dog, and a monkey pilot journey through the solar system, discovering facts about each planet, such as diameter, distance from the sun, and number of moons. Wells's playfully informative pen and acrylic illustrations support the premise that there's no place like home--and we should protect that place.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
(3)
K-3
Using age level–appropriate detail, Wells explains global warming and its consequences. The text describes how fossil fuels, electricity usage, and greenhouse gasses are all related, and why Earth's rising temperatures and melting ice caps are bad news for everyone, not just polar bears. Lighthearted pen and acrylic illustrations balance the more straightforward writing style. An author's note gives additional information.
Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Doris Barrette.
The beloved holiday song's lyrics are here paired with crisply defined jewel-tone illustrations. Unfortunately failing to provide any sense of narrative, they prove to be more an accompaniment than a duet. Still, the textual imagery is sufficiently sensory and the art expressive enough to make this an enjoyable, if superficial, seasonal read.
Reviewer: Claire E. Gross
(3)
K-3
This friendly yet scientifically rigorous introduction to the water cycle gives young readers plenty of sophisticated concepts to ponder. Wells goes beyond the usual explanation of water phases and phase changes to include discussion of water pollution, dams, and how water supports life. His color illustrations invite readers to scrutinize the details that support the scientific explanations.
Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford
(3)
K-3
This book notes that while giant tortoises are the longest-living animals on earth, they are relatively young contrasted with giant sequoias, pyramids, and the earth itself. A clear progression backward, ending with an illustrated timeline and an explanation of how we know how old things are, helps students sort out time. Undistinguished but comical illustrations assist in making a difficult concept clearer.
Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke
(4)
K-3
The development and use of time-measuring tools--from the shadow sticks of ancient Egypt to today's atomic clocks--are described in hand-lettered text that curves and bends around cartoony pen-and-acrylic illustrations. Unfortunately, the book then introduces discussions of the moon's phases, the Earth's seasons, and the nature of time itself, topics too complex for the simple format.
Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger
(4)
K-3
Effective when it uses familiar objects, such as 10,000 pennies or 100,000 marshmallows, to get across a sense of a number's size, this counting book falters with its larger number examples, such as the distance between the sun and the next closest star (25 trillion years), which may be difficult for young readers to conceptualize. Playful pen and acrylic illustrations feature monkey and penguin astronauts.
Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger
8 reviews
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