Beth Anderson, Children's Writer

Title: Actual Size
Written and Illustrated by: Steve Jenkins
Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004
Suitable for ages: 4-8
Themes/topics: animals, nature, size

Opening: Did you ever look a giant squid in the eye? Have you shaken hands with a gorilla or been face to face with a tiger? All of the animals in this book are shown at actual size, so you can see how you measure up to creatures both large and small.  

Brief synopsis: (from barnesandnoble.com) How big is a crocodile? What about a tiger, or the world’s largest spider? Can you imagine a tongue that is two feet long or an eye that’s bigger than your head?
Sometimes facts and figures don’t tell the whole story.
Sometimes you need to see things for yourself—at their actual size.

Links to resources:
Activity page with math and science ideas on Parent/Teacher Resource page.

Why I like this book: This book invites observation and discussion. Kids love to compare their hands, heads, etc to the body parts of animals. (I love the fold out page!) The text is minimal, yet offers a variety of science, math and language opportunities. The back matter contains information useful for extension activities and for those children in a higher age range or comprehension level. This is one book that just wouldn’t be as good as an e-book. And I’m not the only one who likes this book – my two-and-a-half year-old granddaughter loves it!

Visit author Susanna Hill’s Perfect Picture Books for a plethora of picture books listed by title and topic/theme, each with teacher/parent resources.