(2) K-3 Illustrated by Frann Preston-Gannon. Much like superheroes, some animal species have remarkable abilities. The ten featured species with "superpowers" have notable adaptations that help them to survive. These creatures are indeed impressive, and the book's format enhances the drama: after each animal is introduced, a page-turn reveals the superpower and how it benefits that animal. Examples include Turritopsis jellyfish, which possess "immortality" (they can reset their life cycle in response to injury); mountain-dwelling ibex, which survive by "defying gravity" in their ability to scale sheer cliffs; snapping shrimp, which can produce a bubble that, when popped, resonates at a decibel level that can kill their prey; and dogs, with their "super sniffers" that can help rescue humans and detect dangerous chemicals. Preston-Gannon's colorful illustrations capture the essential details of each species and their environments. The end notes proclaim that "action is your superpower!" and show the impact humans have on each of the featured species.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(2) YA Starting with an intriguing preface, ­Cherrix informs her audience that the space race was in fact run "in the shadows by a former Nazi and a Russian who was jailed for crimes against his country." The former Nazi, Wernher von Braun, had created the deadliest weapon in Hitler's arsenal (the V-2 missile), and through a classified U.S. government program known as Operation Paperclip was able to bypass the U.S. immigration system in exchange for scientific intelligence. In the Soviet Union, Sergei Korolev was a Russian engineer and victim of Stalin's secret police force who had spent roughly five years falsely imprisoned in various gulags until his release and acceptance of a mission to develop a Soviet missile program. Von Braun's and Korolev's subsequent parallel careers are the focus of Cherrix's suspenseful, engaging narrative. Political and social context are ever present, and connections are frequently drawn between the scientists' work and historical events such as World War II, the Korean War, the civil rights movement, and the Vietnam War. Frequent quotes are effectively woven throughout the text, while occasional historical photographs (many unseen) and sidebars feature key subjects. Significantly, the scientific accomplishments of these two men are shadowed by the reality that their work (sustained by government propaganda/secrecy campaigns) led to needless deaths and the ­existential threat of intercontinental ballistic missiles. This eye-opening look into a typically venerated aspect of ­American history is a stark reminder, as stated by ­Cherrix, that "scientific advancement comes at a price." Extensive back matter includes an author's note, a bibliography, endnotes, and an index.

Reviewer: Patrick Gall | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Chris Sasaki. "Did you know the natural world is a construction zone? Whether they are large or small, in the ocean or on land, animals are amazing architects!" Cherrix (In the Shadow of the Moon, rev. 3/21) explores a number of structures that animals build for shelter, for defense, or to obtain food. Coral reefs, nests of twigs and stones, spider webs, and underground homes for ants and prairie dogs are some of the structures described in short paragraph-and-illustration sequences that unfold across four-page sections. The first pages of each section show in-progress construction of the structure; then the final product is revealed through a sentence split across the page-turn ("As the burrow expands, it becomes... / ...a [prairie] dog town"). Sasaki's (Home Is a Window, rev. 3/19; Paper Son, rev. 11/19) thoughtful illustrations use a variety of perspectives to follow the animals as they gather materials or dig above- and underground, and to allow viewers to look up, down, and through the creatures' creations to see how they're used. Some of the structures, such as nests, are built by solo animals for their personal use; others are constructed by social groups for the benefit of the collective. Many structures also benefit other species in their respective ecosystems, such as the coral reef, which provides shelter for multitudes of ocean dwellers, and the beaver dam, which produces a "brand-new pond that every animal in the forest will enjoy." A list of selected sources is appended.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(2) 4-6 Scientists in the Field series. Humans are encroaching on black bears' natural habitat in and around Asheville, North Carolina. In this encouraging account, Cherrix accompanies a team of biologists conducting the North Carolina Urban/Suburban Black Bear Study. Photographs capture the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountain environment and the care scientists take in collecting data to manage the bear population. A chapter on wild animals in other communities emphasizes the problem's global nature. Websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018

(2) 4-6 Scientists in the Field series. Cherrix introduces and personalizes the work of scientists on Wallops Island, Virginia, trying to understand and forecast a storm's intensity to offer maximum time for residents to evacuate. The text provides clear and informative background; biographical information on a variety of scientists, ranging from meteorologists to aeronautical engineers, creates a number of entry points for potential readers. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2017