John Canty, Heads and Tails: Insects, Berbay Publishing, August 2018, 32pp., $26.95 (hbk), ISBN: 9780994384164
This wonderful interactive guessing picture book is perfect for young readers. On the right hand side of each of the double page spreads are questions asking the reader to identify the insect in the illustration. The illustration is just the end of an insect, giving visual clues to the verbal text. As the reader guesses and the page is turned, the answer is revealed on the next page. Many insects are present and the structure of the story is broken when the caterpillar comes along, for it needs its own double page spread to become a butterfly.
Beautifully presented, this large format book invites and encourages audience participation while sharing useful and interesting information about each insect. The pages have a textural feel and look. Direction strongly dictates the reading, reinforcing for young learners that we read English from left to right.
This is perfect for storytime and classrooms and libraries for the very young.
Teacher notes available from the Berbay website.
Reviewed by Liz Derouet
