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Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals Are Big and Little Animals Are Little
From a celebrated team comes a fascinating look at why we don’t have super powers (alas) — and why size matters, for creatures big and small.
Did you ever wonder why there are no high-fl ying, wall-climbing, tall-building-leaping superheroes in real life? Find out what keeps big animals (like us) from engaging in astonishing feats of strength and agility, and yet why being ...more
Did you ever wonder why there are no high-fl ying, wall-climbing, tall-building-leaping superheroes in real life? Find out what keeps big animals (like us) from engaging in astonishing feats of strength and agility, and yet why being ...more
Hardcover, 64 pages
Published
July 28th 2009
by Candlewick Press
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A sample section (minus the graphic graphics) from this fun nonfiction that explains the physics and biology behind size:
I'm sorry if you are disappointed to hear that you will never be able to fly, sprint up windows, dance on ponds, or be stronger than an ant. But since you can't be a superhero, the BTLT rule will do your monster-busting for you. Let me show you how. Let's start with a Terrible Tale of Giants. . . .
Once upon a time there was a giant who was just like ...more
I'm sorry if you are disappointed to hear that you will never be able to fly, sprint up windows, dance on ponds, or be stronger than an ant. But since you can't be a superhero, the BTLT rule will do your monster-busting for you. Let me show you how. Let's start with a Terrible Tale of Giants. . . .
Once upon a time there was a giant who was just like ...more
I’m a person who has a great deal of trouble with scientific concepts. This book explained some principle in science, I think, and I believe I understand the principle better after reading this book, though I couldn’t tell you the name of the principle and I doubt if I could explain it very well. It has something to do with why animals cannot be enormous in size and it has something to do with volume and doubling height causing a big jump in volume. (Glad I am not being tested on the material in...more
Is it just me, or does it seem that more and more, nonfiction books are trying to be all things to all readers? A mile wide and an inch deep, these collections of facts are no doubt fun to read (I’ve read, enjoyed, and reviewed a few of them in these here pages), but don’t delve too deep into any one topic. Just the Right Size not only picks a topic and gets into the nuts and bolts, but the topic chosen is one that I don’t recall getting much play anywhere else. For the right child (or for class...more
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This creative and enticing book explains the complexities of the physical features of many differetn animals and why they are important to life. It is filled with interesting facts about why animals are programmed in certain ways and how what functions these features offer. It shows the diversity and uniqueness of our huge complex world.
This is a small book but it is filled with tons of information and colorful pictures. Every inch of the pages is filled with something and for ...more
This is a small book but it is filled with tons of information and colorful pictures. Every inch of the pages is filled with something and for ...more
This is a wonderful book that explains in great detail why we are the size we are and what the advantages and disadvantages are of being big or small, simple or complex. It shows scientifically why there are no giants or enormous spiders (meaning none that are bigger than 12 inches long) or king kong sized apes. It also shows why geckos can walk on the ceiling, why water striders can walk on water and why people cannot fly. It is written fairly simply for children, although some of the ideas...more
This book is a fun look at why animals are the size they are. The author does a great job of explaining the physics of size, volume, and weight. A giant human could never exist because his weight would snap his legs in two (same with a giant spider!). Good to know. It also explains why tiny insects can be so much stronger than larger creatures (including us) relative to their size.
This would be great for kids who are interested in science and how things work. The illustrations ...more
This would be great for kids who are interested in science and how things work. The illustrations ...more
Abigail
rated it
Recommends it for:
Young Biology Students
Shelves:
childrens-non-fiction,
picture-books
I can still vividly recall the day, back in Biology 118, when Professor Cruz explained to our class why the gigantic spiders of fantasy fiction - you know, the kind that you see in stories like Tolkien's The Two Towers (Shelob), or Rowling's Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Aragog) - would be biologically impossible. How the internal organ systems of such species simply wouldn't be able to cope, in terms of keeping them fed and oxygenated, with an organism of such large volume. It was a ...more
Lisa Vegan
rated it
Recommends it for:
those studying nature, evolution, why big and little life forms are just the right size
Recommended to Lisa by:
Abigail
I kept thinking that this book might be trying too hard, what with the cartoon drawings and the cutesy way it sometimes presents the material, but I think it accomplished what it tried to do: provide some complex information in an easy to understand and entertaining manner. The facts presented are about size of creatures and why they’re just the right size, the ramifications of being big or small, and there is a lot about evolution included.
Overall, this is a fun and educational book...more
Overall, this is a fun and educational book...more
Good book for older students. It puts math into real life problems dealing wtih real things. I love how it relates to animals and how they are not waht you think they are and all the amazing things they can do. This book is great for smaller children so they can understadn that just because you are shorter does not make you any less capable of doing anything compared to the next person. Great illustrations as well.
I learned a lot from this book--like why only tiny animals have super powers (such as walking on the ceiling or flying) or why larger animals tend to be more complex and intelligent. The illustrations and clear explanations were excellent, and really helped explain a lot. An excellent choice for kids in grades 2 and up, guaranteed to get them thinking like scientists.
Horn Fan Fair Title
An excellent science book full of interesting facts about Human and animal biology and anatomy. Each page gives the reader an amazing fact about dozens of different animals explaining the biology of why different animals are different sizes. Coupled with the text are pictures that show scale and/or proportion giving the reader a visual to reference. Each of these pages can stand alone as a mini lesson for number of different science topics.
An excellent science book full of interesting facts about Human and animal biology and anatomy. Each page gives the reader an amazing fact about dozens of different animals explaining the biology of why different animals are different sizes. Coupled with the text are pictures that show scale and/or proportion giving the reader a visual to reference. Each of these pages can stand alone as a mini lesson for number of different science topics.
Using a wide variety of animals, Davies explains the advantages and disadvantages of size and how size determines so much of each animal's abilities. Cartoon-like illustrations add information and humor. The index reflect the array of animal subjects and there is a glossary.
Interesting topic with entertaining illustrations and format. Sometimes with the trade NF books I've read lately, I feel like they are just collections of information, or reinterpretation of information, but I don't feel like I've really learned anything new or been taught a new concept. Not so with this book- to me, it was an entirely new concept, a complex one, broken down into understandable information, with a side of fun thrown in. Great upper-elementary off-beat science book.
I learned a lot from this book. The scientific concepts are explained in a fun way. I think that this book would be a great addition to unit on evolution and the theory of natural selection. Very interesting stuff! Students reading this book could learn to look at animals in a whole new way.
Explains why humans can't fly and why you never need to worry about monster spiders invading your town. Might be a science book to interest the boys who love super hero books.
Um, I'm embarrassed to admit how much I learned from this (kids') book. Funny and awesome.
I didn't really like this book but I think kids would find the facts interesting.
this book is a great book to learn things. it is very clever.
In accessible and humorous text, Nicola Davies explains why some animals are small and some animals are big and why bigger animals would find it hard to do some of the things that little animals do (like fly, climb walls, or walk on water). Very enjoyable and interesting. Might take a little booktalking, but I think kids'll be into it once you convince them to pick it up!
Read my full review on my blog:
http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/2009/1...
Read my full review on my blog:
http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/2009/1...
The amount of information in this book is almost overwhelming. It was not an easy read, although it did have plenty of interesting facts and fun illustrations.
It's a cute books. THe kids will enjoy learning that way. Especially when comparing dad to a gorilla. :)
I didn't like this one as much as Nicola's similarly designed nonfiction book about Parasites.
Peggy
added it
Laura
marked it as to-read
Gundula
marked it as to-read
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
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| Good Book | 1 | 1 | Jun 29, 2010 09:33pm |
"I was very small when I saw my first dolphin," says zoologist Nicola Davies, recalling a seminal visit with her father to a dolphin show at the zoo. Enchanted at the sight of what she called the "big fish" jumping so high and swimming so fast, she determined right then that she would meet the amazing creatures again "in the wild, where they belonged." And indeed she ...more
More about Nicola Davies...
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