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Eye to Eye: How Animals See The World
From Caldecott Honor–winning author-illustrator Steve Jenkins comes a series of animals with unusual eyes in this eye-catching picture book! In his eye-popping work of picture book nonfiction, Jenkins explains how for most animals, eyes are the most important source of information about the world in a biological sense. The simplest eyes—clusters of light-sensitive cells—appeared more than one billion years ago, and provided a big survival advantage to the first creatures that had them. Since then, animals have evolved an amazing variety of eyes, along with often surprising ways to use them.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2014
16 people are currently reading
666 people want to read
About the author
Steve Jenkins
150 books241 followersSteve was born in 1952 in Hickory, North Carolina. His father, who would become a physics professor and astronomer (and recently his co-author on a book about the Solar System), was in the military and, later, working on science degrees at several different universities. We moved often. Steve lived in North Carolina, Panama, Virginia, Kansas, and Colorado. Wherever he lived, he kept a menagerie of lizards, turtles, spiders, and other animals, collected rocks and fossils, and blew things up in his small chemistry lab.
Because he moved often, Steve didn't have a large group of friends, and he spent a lot of time with books. His parents read to him until he could read himself, and he became an obsessive reader.
His interest in science led me to believe that I'd be a scientist himself. At the last minute, he chose instead to go to art school in North Carolina, where he studied graphic design. After graduation he moved to New York City, where he worked in advertising and design, first in large firms and then with his wife, Robin Page, in their own small graphic design firm. Robin, also an author and illustrator, is his frequent collaborator — they've made sixteen children's books together.
Their daughter Page was born in 1986 and our son, Alec, two years later. They began reading to them when they were just a few months old, and Steve became interested in making children's books himself. My wife and I read to our two older children almost every night until hisdaughter was 12 or 13, long after they were reading on their own. It was, in many ways, the best part of the day.
In 1994 they moved to from New York City to Boulder, Colorado, where they work in a studio attached to their house, which was built in the 1880s and often functions as if it were still the 19th century.
Their youngest son, Jamie, was born in 1998. The questions his children asked over the years have been the inspiration for many of their books.
Librarian's Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.
Because he moved often, Steve didn't have a large group of friends, and he spent a lot of time with books. His parents read to him until he could read himself, and he became an obsessive reader.
His interest in science led me to believe that I'd be a scientist himself. At the last minute, he chose instead to go to art school in North Carolina, where he studied graphic design. After graduation he moved to New York City, where he worked in advertising and design, first in large firms and then with his wife, Robin Page, in their own small graphic design firm. Robin, also an author and illustrator, is his frequent collaborator — they've made sixteen children's books together.
Their daughter Page was born in 1986 and our son, Alec, two years later. They began reading to them when they were just a few months old, and Steve became interested in making children's books himself. My wife and I read to our two older children almost every night until hisdaughter was 12 or 13, long after they were reading on their own. It was, in many ways, the best part of the day.
In 1994 they moved to from New York City to Boulder, Colorado, where they work in a studio attached to their house, which was built in the 1880s and often functions as if it were still the 19th century.
Their youngest son, Jamie, was born in 1998. The questions his children asked over the years have been the inspiration for many of their books.
Librarian's Note: There is more than one author with this name in the Goodreads database.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
July 18, 2022
It's amazing how much one can learn reading children's books! Of course it's been a long time since I was in school, and there is so much that has been added to our human knowledge since then!
January 24, 2025
Another fascinating "kids' science book" from Steve Jenkins, author of Our World: By the Numbersand others in that vein. This one is worth the visit just for this diagram alone, which simply and clearly explains the evolution of the eye — the one feature most often cited by anti-Evolutionists as being just far too complex to be other than "inspired creation":
(Probably not completely clear here, but you can see a more legible version at the original Pinterest pic here: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/bd/39/24/bd...)
But of course there's more than that — there's the eye of a giant squid (the size of a basketball); the migrating eye of the halibut; the eye of the mantis shrimp (the most highly developed in the entire animal kingdom); the hundred-eyed Atlantic bay scallop; and the Eurasian buzzard whose vision is keen enough to home in on a rabbit two miles away. Great stuff.
(Probably not completely clear here, but you can see a more legible version at the original Pinterest pic here: https://i.pinimg.com/736x/bd/39/24/bd...)
But of course there's more than that — there's the eye of a giant squid (the size of a basketball); the migrating eye of the halibut; the eye of the mantis shrimp (the most highly developed in the entire animal kingdom); the hundred-eyed Atlantic bay scallop; and the Eurasian buzzard whose vision is keen enough to home in on a rabbit two miles away. Great stuff.
June 17, 2015
I got this book because I am looking for books to incorporate into a unit I might be teaching in the fall. If considering this for my own reading, I would probably only give it one star, mainly because I find the subject of eyeballs gross and books with pictures of insects even more gross. Or maybe even no stars because I would never have chosen this for myself. But alas, the things you must put yourself through for your students.
Despite being grossed out for most of the time, I did learn some interesting facts about animals. However, I didn't think that this book was jam-packed with exciting tidbits. It left a lot to be desired. I wanted more than just telling me the name of the animal and telling me the size/number of its eyeballs. Since Jenkins gave an overview of the different types of eyeballs in the beginning, I would have appreciated telling what type of eyeball each subsequent animal has. I also would have liked some illustrations of how the animal views things, rather than just an illustration of the eye. It's hard for me to visualize what it means for an animal to see light and shapes, but not detail. Or for the snake that can see heat ... what does that look like? For a book about eyes and seeing the world, I don't think I saw very much.
Despite being grossed out for most of the time, I did learn some interesting facts about animals. However, I didn't think that this book was jam-packed with exciting tidbits. It left a lot to be desired. I wanted more than just telling me the name of the animal and telling me the size/number of its eyeballs. Since Jenkins gave an overview of the different types of eyeballs in the beginning, I would have appreciated telling what type of eyeball each subsequent animal has. I also would have liked some illustrations of how the animal views things, rather than just an illustration of the eye. It's hard for me to visualize what it means for an animal to see light and shapes, but not detail. Or for the snake that can see heat ... what does that look like? For a book about eyes and seeing the world, I don't think I saw very much.
April 6, 2022
Predictably well written and beautifully illustrated. Books like this are helpful in taking students deeper into a topic--there's so much to learn about the eye and sight.
ONE WISH - Jenkins names and describes the "four kinds of eyes" but then, when he describes the eyes of different animals, he does not always make clear which "kind of eye" this animal has.
I would BOOK TALK this text - tell a little about it, share some of the images and read aloud short excerpts and then leave it in my classroom library or in a text set for a unit of study on human systems or the eye.
PAIR THIS TEXT WITH -
Eye Spy: Wild Ways Animals See the World by Guillame Duprat
Sight: glimmer, glow, SPARK, FLASH! by Romanyshyn & Lesiv
ONE WISH - Jenkins names and describes the "four kinds of eyes" but then, when he describes the eyes of different animals, he does not always make clear which "kind of eye" this animal has.
I would BOOK TALK this text - tell a little about it, share some of the images and read aloud short excerpts and then leave it in my classroom library or in a text set for a unit of study on human systems or the eye.
PAIR THIS TEXT WITH -
Eye Spy: Wild Ways Animals See the World by Guillame Duprat
Sight: glimmer, glow, SPARK, FLASH! by Romanyshyn & Lesiv
April 9, 2016
Eye to Eye by Steve Jenkins is an informative text about animals' eye sight. The book explains the ways that various creatures use their eyes to see the world. It includes engaging pictures and is a Caldecott Honor Winner. From sea slugs to hippopotamuses, this book explains how each animal’s eyes work and how they use their eyes for specific purposes. This book also goes over the four kinds of eyes and includes some really intriguing animal facts as well as the evolution of the eye in the back of the book.
I would use this book in 5th grade when students are learning about how structures and systems of organisms perform functions necessary for life. This book would specifically be useful when studying vision and animals. Students could further research the animals included in this book and find evidence to support how a specific animal's vision is a vital and necessary part of their life.
This book is a WOW book for me because I like that this book is an informative text, but that it also resembles a picture book as well. It has great pictures and I appreciate that Jenkins included both quality information and pictures in this text. While reading this text, I found myself learning things about animals' eyes that I never knew before. One of my favorite things I learned is that the eyes of a Colossal Squid are the size of a basketball! The visual display of this book will make readers want to know and read more. Jenkins includes some amazing and interesting facts in his book that make it an eye opening read! :)
I would use this book in 5th grade when students are learning about how structures and systems of organisms perform functions necessary for life. This book would specifically be useful when studying vision and animals. Students could further research the animals included in this book and find evidence to support how a specific animal's vision is a vital and necessary part of their life.
This book is a WOW book for me because I like that this book is an informative text, but that it also resembles a picture book as well. It has great pictures and I appreciate that Jenkins included both quality information and pictures in this text. While reading this text, I found myself learning things about animals' eyes that I never knew before. One of my favorite things I learned is that the eyes of a Colossal Squid are the size of a basketball! The visual display of this book will make readers want to know and read more. Jenkins includes some amazing and interesting facts in his book that make it an eye opening read! :)
November 3, 2016
In Steve Jenkins’ nonfiction text Eye to Eye: How Animals See the World, he uses large, vivid and colorful drawings to draw the audience into an exploration of eyes in a variety of different animals. Each page describes an animal’s eyes and their individual capabilities. On the surface, the book teaches students about various animals eyes and how some of them can see heat, some can see colors that humans cannot, some can see far way, while others can move their eyes in all directions. However, Jenkins introduces his young readers to the idea that even a feature common among different creatures can present itself in many different ways.
Teachers could use this book with middle elementary students (first through third graders). Although it may seem more like a fictional picture book at first glance, it maintains key features of a nonfiction text. The book exposes students to academic language that is crucial to vocabulary development and school success. Additionally, it also includes features unique to nonfiction texts such as headings, sub headings, bold words and a glossary.
Aside from teaching students about the types of eyes that animals can have, Jenkins sets up their diversities as unique capabilities, rather than some animals being more or less able. Teachers can comment this informational text to a lesson on each individual’s unique capabilities. Following the book, the teacher could have students think of an ability they possess that makes them special, making it a wonderful integration of science and social studies.
Teachers could use this book with middle elementary students (first through third graders). Although it may seem more like a fictional picture book at first glance, it maintains key features of a nonfiction text. The book exposes students to academic language that is crucial to vocabulary development and school success. Additionally, it also includes features unique to nonfiction texts such as headings, sub headings, bold words and a glossary.
Aside from teaching students about the types of eyes that animals can have, Jenkins sets up their diversities as unique capabilities, rather than some animals being more or less able. Teachers can comment this informational text to a lesson on each individual’s unique capabilities. Following the book, the teacher could have students think of an ability they possess that makes them special, making it a wonderful integration of science and social studies.
October 6, 2015
Who would have said it was so many interesting facts to learn about eyes?
Eyes can be as simple as a light-sensitive group of cells, or as complex as to be able to see from a distance of two miles away.
There's an animal which eyes are as big as basketballs.
Another one has eyes bigger than its brain.
Certain insect not only has eight legs, but eight eyes too.
And a well known animal we all have seen or heard about has built-in goggles to be able to see underwater.
I won't spoil the names of these incredibly sighted creatures. You'll have to discover them with you own eyes!
Check out more children's book reviews in my Reviews in Chalk Blog!
Eyes can be as simple as a light-sensitive group of cells, or as complex as to be able to see from a distance of two miles away.
There's an animal which eyes are as big as basketballs.
Another one has eyes bigger than its brain.
Certain insect not only has eight legs, but eight eyes too.
And a well known animal we all have seen or heard about has built-in goggles to be able to see underwater.
I won't spoil the names of these incredibly sighted creatures. You'll have to discover them with you own eyes!
Check out more children's book reviews in my Reviews in Chalk Blog!
January 25, 2015
I had to have this book for my daughter's K class when I saw it was a 2014 Nerdy finalist for Non Fiction Picture Books. Steve Jenkins has produced yet another beautiful nonfiction book dealing with animals and their eyes. Using his torn and cut paper technique for his illustrations, Jenkins shows how many animals' eyes see the world. The kids will love the easy, concise history about animals, eyes and evolution before delving into separate animal eyes. Jenkins provides more information at the end of the book with The Evolution of the Eye, Animals Facts and a Glossary. Kids and adults will be poring over this wealth of knowledge again and again.
September 10, 2016
With facts about creatures having up to 111 eyes and other sea life with eyes as big as basketballs, this book is sure to spark wonder and curiosity. I also enjoyed the section on the evolution of the eye which classified all the different ways various animals take in light and are able to see.
September 14, 2018
Can NOT get enough of this book. I incorporate this book in every class, every guided reading group, every shared reading and every read to self that I can. Paired with They All Saw a Cat by Brendan Wenzel, it meets CCSS, Science Standards and is COMPLETE QUALITY!
March 5, 2014
Superb! Great information and stunning illustrations.
December 18, 2014
Five for the illustrations (cause they never disappoint!). Three for the text. This one wasn't as interesting as previous titles. At least in my humble opinion. :/
November 29, 2022
Informational (e.g., nonfiction) that does not include biographies or autobiographies (I) - Eye to Eye: How Animals See The World
This book is a child’s introduction to the eyes of animals they see all around them. The author’s comprehensive but not complex descriptions paired with the vivid illustrations create an easy-to-follow introduction to the facts that are being discussed. The only theme I could ascertain was that of unity, all these animals have different eyes that look different and are adapted to different environments yet they are present amongst them all as their one unifying thread. The primary genre of this book is Informational. One thing I could teach children in regard to this book is how different everyone really is. I could begin to elaborate on the fact if you look deeply enough that everyone has something in common. Another thing I could teach kids is about animals and help them develop their preferences based on the animals they identified with the best. One kid might like an eagle's eye and another might like a fly, but neither would have been likely to discuss their different choices unless given the space to. This book was a WOW book for me because it provided a lot of information but didn't bury it in a sea of scientific terminology that would've required me to have to google up just to understand what was going on.
The writer's craft really came through in this book from the illustrations. Another method the writer’s craft was exhibited was through the imagery used to describe the animals, it worked with the writing not opposed to it. One literary device used was personification; the author somewhat humanized the animals by throwing in idioms and metaphors all while delving into the basics of the animal’s eye. This book is anti-bias because it doesn't discuss humans or the human world in terms of social, political, or religious contexts. The book was all facts and pictures.
This book is a child’s introduction to the eyes of animals they see all around them. The author’s comprehensive but not complex descriptions paired with the vivid illustrations create an easy-to-follow introduction to the facts that are being discussed. The only theme I could ascertain was that of unity, all these animals have different eyes that look different and are adapted to different environments yet they are present amongst them all as their one unifying thread. The primary genre of this book is Informational. One thing I could teach children in regard to this book is how different everyone really is. I could begin to elaborate on the fact if you look deeply enough that everyone has something in common. Another thing I could teach kids is about animals and help them develop their preferences based on the animals they identified with the best. One kid might like an eagle's eye and another might like a fly, but neither would have been likely to discuss their different choices unless given the space to. This book was a WOW book for me because it provided a lot of information but didn't bury it in a sea of scientific terminology that would've required me to have to google up just to understand what was going on.
The writer's craft really came through in this book from the illustrations. Another method the writer’s craft was exhibited was through the imagery used to describe the animals, it worked with the writing not opposed to it. One literary device used was personification; the author somewhat humanized the animals by throwing in idioms and metaphors all while delving into the basics of the animal’s eye. This book is anti-bias because it doesn't discuss humans or the human world in terms of social, political, or religious contexts. The book was all facts and pictures.
January 10, 2020
Another brilliant science book from Jenkins. Somehow this doesn't have quite the same Wow factor as some of his others (Actual Size, for example), but it's still got a lot of wonderful information, engagingly presented for maximum understanding and enrichment. I particularly the page showing how complex eyes evolved from simpler ones, to help ppl understand why creationists are wrong.
July 14, 2015
Categories/Genres: Non-Fiction/Picture Book
Estimate of Age Level of Interest: 3-6
Estimate of Reading Level: 5.7, Lexile 1040
Brief Description:
Eye to Eye takes the reader through page after page of animals and the way they see. Simple, compound, and light sensitive eyes in various combinations abound as key survival mechanisms for insects, reptiles and mammals in this collection by award winning author Steve Jenkins.
Non-Fiction Evaluation (Huck p. 258)
Accuracy and Authenticity: Steve Jenkins adds to his many award winning animal books with this bright and informative book.
The level of detail and explanation will meet the needs of the most curious students. The book was written in 2014 and is up-to-date.
Students can draw their own generalizations from the rich factual detail of so many animal species.
There is no evidence of anthropomorphism or teleology (explanations that focus on purpose and not postulated cause).
Content and Perspective: The book was designed to inform students of the ways animal eyes have evolved to serve a variety of purposes.
I have read this book to 2nd and 3rd graders who displayed good comprehension and interest.
The subject is covered in depth.
There is no controversy presented, but a variety of animal eyes are covered in the book.
The book does not address the scientific method, interrelationship or social issues.
Style: Information is presented clearly and directly with an eye close up and a silhouette of each animal per page.
The text is appropriate and challenging with fascinating and vivid paper cut illustrations that support the text.
Organization:
The information is structured clearly with an introduction that explains the four types of eyes. There are subheadings for each animal.
A conclusion summarizes eye evolution with charts. There is a glossary and list of additional readings.
Illustrations and Format:
The illustrations demonstrate Jenkin’s signature brilliance, simple enough yet eye-catching and instructive.
The small silhouettes of each animal are clearly there to indicate the shape of the whole animal. The eye close ups illustrate the text very well.
The total format is open and inviting. Students will welcome this familiar format in each of Steve Jenkins books.
How the Book Serves its Intended Audience: This book is an authoritative companion to the many animal shows (some not so authoritative) they see on television. This book lends itself well to a unit on animal adaptations, or the study of vision.
Awards: Kirkus, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly Starred Reviews
Links to Published Reviews from Professional Sources:
“The evolution of the eye and the surprising ways animals see the world are displayed in a thoughtfully designed and engagingly illustrated album.” Kirkus, February 15, 2014
“The eye, with its intricate structure and symbolic resonance, is an ideal focus for Jenkins's inquisitive, informative narrative and multidimensional art..” Publishers Weekly, April 21, 2014.
“Animal facts, a bibliography, and a glossary round out this slim volume that will captivate readers of all ages.” School Library Journal, March 1, 2014
Estimate of Age Level of Interest: 3-6
Estimate of Reading Level: 5.7, Lexile 1040
Brief Description:
Eye to Eye takes the reader through page after page of animals and the way they see. Simple, compound, and light sensitive eyes in various combinations abound as key survival mechanisms for insects, reptiles and mammals in this collection by award winning author Steve Jenkins.
Non-Fiction Evaluation (Huck p. 258)
Accuracy and Authenticity: Steve Jenkins adds to his many award winning animal books with this bright and informative book.
The level of detail and explanation will meet the needs of the most curious students. The book was written in 2014 and is up-to-date.
Students can draw their own generalizations from the rich factual detail of so many animal species.
There is no evidence of anthropomorphism or teleology (explanations that focus on purpose and not postulated cause).
Content and Perspective: The book was designed to inform students of the ways animal eyes have evolved to serve a variety of purposes.
I have read this book to 2nd and 3rd graders who displayed good comprehension and interest.
The subject is covered in depth.
There is no controversy presented, but a variety of animal eyes are covered in the book.
The book does not address the scientific method, interrelationship or social issues.
Style: Information is presented clearly and directly with an eye close up and a silhouette of each animal per page.
The text is appropriate and challenging with fascinating and vivid paper cut illustrations that support the text.
Organization:
The information is structured clearly with an introduction that explains the four types of eyes. There are subheadings for each animal.
A conclusion summarizes eye evolution with charts. There is a glossary and list of additional readings.
Illustrations and Format:
The illustrations demonstrate Jenkin’s signature brilliance, simple enough yet eye-catching and instructive.
The small silhouettes of each animal are clearly there to indicate the shape of the whole animal. The eye close ups illustrate the text very well.
The total format is open and inviting. Students will welcome this familiar format in each of Steve Jenkins books.
How the Book Serves its Intended Audience: This book is an authoritative companion to the many animal shows (some not so authoritative) they see on television. This book lends itself well to a unit on animal adaptations, or the study of vision.
Awards: Kirkus, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly Starred Reviews
Links to Published Reviews from Professional Sources:
“The evolution of the eye and the surprising ways animals see the world are displayed in a thoughtfully designed and engagingly illustrated album.” Kirkus, February 15, 2014
“The eye, with its intricate structure and symbolic resonance, is an ideal focus for Jenkins's inquisitive, informative narrative and multidimensional art..” Publishers Weekly, April 21, 2014.
“Animal facts, a bibliography, and a glossary round out this slim volume that will captivate readers of all ages.” School Library Journal, March 1, 2014
February 27, 2017
Science, Nature, Animals
November 15, 2018
This informational book has really interesting illustrations that depict different animals visions of the world, which children will really enjoy to read about. I really like the front cover because it illustrates different eyeballs of 12 different animals that live in the world on a daily basis. The back cover is so interesting to because it tells you what animal each eyeball was on the front cover which is so great for children to see and identify. It is always very neat how they put fun facts about different animals on the back cover also above all the animals. I really like how the first page explains why vision is so important to animals that live in our world. These explanations throughout the book will help young children understand how sight is so crucial for an animal to survive in their environment. I really like how the book starts off explaining how life on earth began with the sun and then organisms came about that sparked and influenced life on Earth. Each page has so many explanations regarding specific animals and organisms detailing how each organism on Earth needs sigh to survive in their world. Each image shows how each animal and organism all look different but show they are all similar by having the gift of sight to survive in their life. I never knew each animal has a different term meaning their specific eye name. I also really like how each page has a close-up picture of the eye so the reader can see how big or small that particular eye is on that particular animal and it shows the actual animal so you can visualize it on the animal's body. It is so cool how it also explains how that specific organism uses its eyesight, for example, the snail uses it to take a look around in its environment to figure out where he or she is. It is interesting also to see the different shapes, sizes or how some specific animals have more than one eye to use on their body. I am learning a lot from this book specifically that the colossal squid has the biggest eye out of any animal because it is the size of a basketball, which is huge for an eyeball. The best part of this book is the diagrams and specific information regarding the length, and habitat is all listed in the back glossary for all readers to enjoy.
November 7, 2019
This book is about animals and the different types of eyes that they have. I thought the pictures were beautifully illustrated but I did not enjoy this book. I can see its use but I never felt engaged because it was strictly about eyeballs and the four different types of eyes that exists on animals. I just found it to be a boring topic. It was written well if I was interested in this topic, but as I said I was not. I do think this would be good to have in a young classroom. I can totally see a student that is super interested in animals becoming encaptivated in this book. The pictures are big, bright, and colorful making it perfect for a 2nd-3rd grade audience to read independently. This book could be read to a younger audience as well. I think this is a good book for research as well. Students could look up an animal do a report on them. They could pull information from this book as well as others to find out what they look like, how they see, where they live, and what they eat. On another note, I did like how this book included facts about specific animals. As I was reading I was really shocked that bullfrogs use their eyes to push their food down. If I as an adult am entertained by that fact then I know students will find something about the book that draws them in too.
April 26, 2016
This is a picture book that enraptures the diversity in animal’s eyes. This book provides different sections that show the biology of the animals and their eye makeup. The illustrations are done by torn and cut picture technique: pictures of how the animal’s/insect’s eyeballs actually look. The book provides easy and concise history about animals, eyes and evolution before delving into separator animals eyes. This book explains the many different ways animals use their eyes to see the world. It is also a Caldecott winner for illustrations. There is informative text while having engaging pictures. Wording makes you want to keep reading to learn more about the diversity in the eyeballs of different animals “look in two directions at once” “The size of a basketball” (Jenkins).The book is very student friendly, targeted at upper elementary 4th-6th grade. You could also use this book in lower elementary by having the students organize the size, color, and amount of eyes into categories to better identify the animals/bugs they may see everyday. Accuracy in this book is spot on. Organization is well done, no specific sequence other than evolution but flowed well. Design was very well done, you are able to follow along with diagrams and detailed pictures. It would have been very beneficial to the readers and follow the title more correctly if the illustrator showed the world from the animals perspective along with the detailed descriptions of their eyes and the evolution of eyes. May be controversial with parents who do not wish their children to be taught the theory of Evolution at a young age. I would have this book in my classroom library for my students who may enjoy animals and insects and science.
May 12, 2015
Eye to Eye: How Animals See The World
By Steve Jenkins
(Nonfiction #4 Orbis Pictus Award Winner)
I would have to say this book was completely eye opening! HA! But seriously I learned so much from this book that I never ever even thought of or have even heard about. For example, did you know that a giant clam has thousands of pinhole eyes? There are four basic kinds of animal eyes eyespots, pinhole eyes, compound eyes, and camera eyes. Also the eyes of the colossal squid are each the size of a basketball! How incredible but also a little creepy! This book goes into so much detail about animals and their eyes and how eyes are used for different animals. The back of the book even has a glossary that defines the different parts of the eye for example the retina, lens, iris, etc. This book also gives animal facts and the evolution of the eye. I can definitely see why this book got an award and I also would have to say that the illustrations in the story are beautiful in the way the illustrations show the different eyes as they look for different animals. I loved the bright colors used in this book and I love how it made me want to learn more about animals and how important their vision is for them to survive and thrive. I would recommend this book to science teachers as well as any child that loves to learn about animals! This book to me is definitely informative and can teach someone a lot that they might not know. I think Steve Jenkins is a wonderful writer and the way this book was set up made me want to read more by him!
By Steve Jenkins
(Nonfiction #4 Orbis Pictus Award Winner)
I would have to say this book was completely eye opening! HA! But seriously I learned so much from this book that I never ever even thought of or have even heard about. For example, did you know that a giant clam has thousands of pinhole eyes? There are four basic kinds of animal eyes eyespots, pinhole eyes, compound eyes, and camera eyes. Also the eyes of the colossal squid are each the size of a basketball! How incredible but also a little creepy! This book goes into so much detail about animals and their eyes and how eyes are used for different animals. The back of the book even has a glossary that defines the different parts of the eye for example the retina, lens, iris, etc. This book also gives animal facts and the evolution of the eye. I can definitely see why this book got an award and I also would have to say that the illustrations in the story are beautiful in the way the illustrations show the different eyes as they look for different animals. I loved the bright colors used in this book and I love how it made me want to learn more about animals and how important their vision is for them to survive and thrive. I would recommend this book to science teachers as well as any child that loves to learn about animals! This book to me is definitely informative and can teach someone a lot that they might not know. I think Steve Jenkins is a wonderful writer and the way this book was set up made me want to read more by him!
November 1, 2015
I love Steve Jenkins as an author so when the book, “Eye to Eye-How Animals See the World” caught my eye, I checked it out and was not disappointed! It’s difficult not to be drawn to this wonderful piece of informative text because the cover is covered in colorful eyes and it’s hard to resist wanting to know more. Within the book, Jenkins introduces the reader to 4 different types of eyes, the animals that use them, and all sorts of amazing informative facts along the way. The illustrations throughout the book are gorgeous. In the back of the book, there’s a chart that discusses the evolution the eye, more animal facts (length, habitat, and diet), and a glossary. As if that wasn’t enough, the whole book is student friendly. None of the information is presented in an intimidating way. There are so many ways this book could be used in the classroom. For younger grades, sorting the animals by type of eye and coloring them is a great way to introduce that different animals have different characteristics. While teaching this activity you could even include that the specific characteristics of an animals help it be successful in the type of environment it lives in. A fun project for upper grades would be to let students pick an animal from the book, have them research about it, and then give a presentation to the class. Additionally, encourage to students to make posters for their presentation and/or dioramas of the habitat so they can be creative! This is a great book & I promise you will learn something from it as well!
October 12, 2016
Eye To Eye How Animals see the World
Author: Steve Jenkins
The illustrations are torn and cut paper
Eye to Eye is about the way animals see. Animal’s eyes are really the only thing that protects them. There are dozens of different animal eyes, but most of the variations are one of four basic designs. An eyespot, pinhole eyes, compound eyes, and camera eyes. This book covers an array of animals from fish that swim in the ocean to reptiles of the wild to even our own house animals. This story is filled with fun facts about animals and how important their eyes are to them. They not only use there eyes for protection but they also use them to get food and to see color even ultra violet colors that humans can not see.
This is a really cool book. In the back of the book there are list of the animals and how big they are, the habitat they live in and also their diet. On the other pages is a glossary and one page has the evolution of the eye. You learn new information in a few short sentences.
The art in this book is really detailed on all of the animals. The pages are white with a picture of the animal which is zoomed up close on the page along with another replica of the whole animal somewhere else on the page. All the animals look so real. The animals name is in the text which is bold so the child reading the book can see and learn the animal and the real name for the animal. This book would be great to use for teachers for students of all ages.
Author: Steve Jenkins
The illustrations are torn and cut paper
Eye to Eye is about the way animals see. Animal’s eyes are really the only thing that protects them. There are dozens of different animal eyes, but most of the variations are one of four basic designs. An eyespot, pinhole eyes, compound eyes, and camera eyes. This book covers an array of animals from fish that swim in the ocean to reptiles of the wild to even our own house animals. This story is filled with fun facts about animals and how important their eyes are to them. They not only use there eyes for protection but they also use them to get food and to see color even ultra violet colors that humans can not see.
This is a really cool book. In the back of the book there are list of the animals and how big they are, the habitat they live in and also their diet. On the other pages is a glossary and one page has the evolution of the eye. You learn new information in a few short sentences.
The art in this book is really detailed on all of the animals. The pages are white with a picture of the animal which is zoomed up close on the page along with another replica of the whole animal somewhere else on the page. All the animals look so real. The animals name is in the text which is bold so the child reading the book can see and learn the animal and the real name for the animal. This book would be great to use for teachers for students of all ages.
October 5, 2014
Too bad that the embossed cover will be covered up when this books gets processed for my library, but students will like looking at the dozen various eyes.
The introduction needs careful reading, but is interesting. I wonder why Jenkins did not include a conclusion - the books just ends. Jenkins usual colorful animal close-ups shown on white background give students much to investigate visually. Very helpful that each animal is also shown in it’s entirety, but are not to scale in comparison to each other. One must read the “Animal Facts” to find out the exact size.
Very appealing to describe the four types of animals’ eyes, but then it is not clear which type belongs to each animal in the book. What if he had organized the book into the four types and then put each animal into the corresponding section? Some students may be confused by “The Evolution of the Eye” in the back that describes 5 types which are different than the four introduced in the beginning.
This book seems to have more text based on more research and it's curious that he included the diet of each animal in the “Animal Facts” section in the back.
Like his other books, this one includes some little known animals, such as gharial and tuatara, along with the common cat and bullfrog.
The introduction needs careful reading, but is interesting. I wonder why Jenkins did not include a conclusion - the books just ends. Jenkins usual colorful animal close-ups shown on white background give students much to investigate visually. Very helpful that each animal is also shown in it’s entirety, but are not to scale in comparison to each other. One must read the “Animal Facts” to find out the exact size.
Very appealing to describe the four types of animals’ eyes, but then it is not clear which type belongs to each animal in the book. What if he had organized the book into the four types and then put each animal into the corresponding section? Some students may be confused by “The Evolution of the Eye” in the back that describes 5 types which are different than the four introduced in the beginning.
This book seems to have more text based on more research and it's curious that he included the diet of each animal in the “Animal Facts” section in the back.
Like his other books, this one includes some little known animals, such as gharial and tuatara, along with the common cat and bullfrog.
February 16, 2015
I thought that this book was a pretty good book with good illustrations. The book had both simple explanations with good pictures, but in the end of the book it had more elaboration about the different types of eyes and how different animals see. I thought this book would be a great choice for differentiated learning and being able to reach different levels of children. I also liked that the book had such a variety of different types of eyes and vision and chose good examples to explain each.
Twin Text: I chose to pair this book with Laura Hertzfeld Katz's "The Princess Who Wore Glasses. I chose this book because I talked about a young princess whose parents started to notice that she couldn't see the beautiful colors and many details of their kingdom. The young princess gets glasses and suddenly her world is opening up. I chose to pair these two books because I could see them working well together when learning about the eyes, or if you happen to have a student who suddenly needs glasses to show the differences in many different types of creatures, and to explain that even within humans eyes can vary. I think these two books would work well together in explaining that glasses can help people to see the world and its beautiful colors.
Twin Text: I chose to pair this book with Laura Hertzfeld Katz's "The Princess Who Wore Glasses. I chose this book because I talked about a young princess whose parents started to notice that she couldn't see the beautiful colors and many details of their kingdom. The young princess gets glasses and suddenly her world is opening up. I chose to pair these two books because I could see them working well together when learning about the eyes, or if you happen to have a student who suddenly needs glasses to show the differences in many different types of creatures, and to explain that even within humans eyes can vary. I think these two books would work well together in explaining that glasses can help people to see the world and its beautiful colors.
December 9, 2014
EYE TO EYE: HOW ANIMALS SEE THE WORLD by Steve Jenkins applies astounding collage techniques to produce an informational picture book that will fly off the shelves.
Fans of Steve Jenkins of WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A TAIL LIKE THIS? will enjoy his focus on eye sight in animals. While younger readers will be drawn to the appealing images, older children will enjoy the informational aspects of this book. The accurate, detailed focus on the special features of each animal will be useful to both students working on reports and teachers seeking interesting examples for class. Additional details about each animal are found at the end of the book.
Of particular interest is the way Jenkins traces the evolution of the eye. Look for the chart showing the evolutionary process.
Although the collage illustrations are amazing, design an activity that asks children to compare the collage images with photographs of each creature. The book along with close-up eye photographs would be fun for a library display.
Go to the author’s website to learn more about the books. Be sure to check out the section on making books. Go to http://www.stevejenkinsbooks.com.
Fans of Steve Jenkins of WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A TAIL LIKE THIS? will enjoy his focus on eye sight in animals. While younger readers will be drawn to the appealing images, older children will enjoy the informational aspects of this book. The accurate, detailed focus on the special features of each animal will be useful to both students working on reports and teachers seeking interesting examples for class. Additional details about each animal are found at the end of the book.
Of particular interest is the way Jenkins traces the evolution of the eye. Look for the chart showing the evolutionary process.
Although the collage illustrations are amazing, design an activity that asks children to compare the collage images with photographs of each creature. The book along with close-up eye photographs would be fun for a library display.
Go to the author’s website to learn more about the books. Be sure to check out the section on making books. Go to http://www.stevejenkinsbooks.com.
January 22, 2016
I am a Steve Jenkins fan. I love his illustrations of animals. I like how he organizes his writing...picking done facet of an animal's behavior or physique to examine and compare and contrast. In this book, he examines different types of eyes found in animals...a simple eye spot, a pinhole eye, a compound eye, or a camera eye. He provides examples of each and discusses special adaptations that animals have related to their eyes and vision. For example, the blue swallowtail butterfly can see ultraviolet light that our eyes can't see. A halibut is born with eyes on each side of his head. Over time, one eye travels to the top of his head and then to the other side so that both eyes are on the same side. The halibut spends most of its time lying on one side in the sand at the bottom of the ocean, so this allows it to see more. The brownsnout spook fish's eyes are split into two segments. One looks toward the water's surface and the other watches the dark waters below.
So many fascinating facts and such great illustration. This captured my attention as well as my 7 and 11 year old daughter's attention.
So many fascinating facts and such great illustration. This captured my attention as well as my 7 and 11 year old daughter's attention.
April 16, 2018
Eye to Eye, provides interesting and valuable information on the history of vision and the four distinct types of eyes. With each turn of the page, the author provides several examples of species that have the different types of eyesight and unique facts about those creatures. The reader is able to read about the diverse types of eyes and uses for them, while being provided with supporting illustrations of the animals mentioned. Because I had read Steve Jenkins Animal Infographics book prior to reading this one, I was pleased to see that he had formatted this book in a similar manner. Rather just provide the information in lengthy paragraphs that fill a page, Jenkins includes large illustrations of animals that show the features of its eye, which is the focus of the information provided by the book. The reader is first drawn to the illustrations, and once examining them, they are able to read some information about the type of eye featured. This would be a great book to include in a science classroom, when learning about anatomy of different species because the information is not simply presented in lengthy texts as a classroom textbook would provide.
May 14, 2014
Explore different types of animal eyes in this gorgeous nonfiction picture book by the amazing Steve Jenkins. In this book, Jenkins not only talks about the different kinds of animals eyes, explaining them in just the right amount of detail, but also looks at specific animals and their unique eyes. Jenkins shares lots of facts, carefully chosen to be fascinating and fun. One never knows what will be found on the next page and whether it will be looking right at you.
Jenkins makes sure that children will learn about evolution in this picture book. His emphasis throughout is on the evolution from simple light-sensitive eyespots to the complex camera eyes of humans and hawks. As always, his information is well-chosen and interesting. It is accompanied by large-format images that are paired with smaller images that show the animals entire body. This is science information at its best.
The eyes have it! This is a book that belongs in all public libraries. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
Jenkins makes sure that children will learn about evolution in this picture book. His emphasis throughout is on the evolution from simple light-sensitive eyespots to the complex camera eyes of humans and hawks. As always, his information is well-chosen and interesting. It is accompanied by large-format images that are paired with smaller images that show the animals entire body. This is science information at its best.
The eyes have it! This is a book that belongs in all public libraries. Appropriate for ages 6-9.
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December 24, 2014Pretty sure I have never actually read a Steve Jenkins book - though they are everywhere and everyone raves about them... and I know they are super cool looking - as in amazing art . This one was - again - on one of those "best of" lists I was perusing in these last few weeks. Decided to get it for Milo's teacher, who we love. They are doing a lot of nonfiction this year, and also, at some point, I think that the 3rd graders do a unit on the body. So, this book, which does open with a nice little overview of the four different kinds of eyes there are, about animals and their eyes, might be a nice resource for her to have.
It's not exactly my kind of nonfiction book, though I can definitely see the appeal, as well as the beauty of the art work (some of the appeal is the art, some is the science and information presented).
Glad I bought it - hope she likes it. Both Milo and I did read it before I passed it on, and I was glad to have finally taken the time to sit down with a Steve Jenkins book.
It's not exactly my kind of nonfiction book, though I can definitely see the appeal, as well as the beauty of the art work (some of the appeal is the art, some is the science and information presented).
Glad I bought it - hope she likes it. Both Milo and I did read it before I passed it on, and I was glad to have finally taken the time to sit down with a Steve Jenkins book.
April 18, 2018
The book Eye to Eye: How Animals See the World was mainly focused on the eyes of animals and how they differ within different animals. The book starts off with explaining why vision is important to animals and the uses that it is put to. It carries on providing information about the first eyes and how they came about. The book is focused on talking about certain animals and the way their eyes work and how they are beneficial to the animals. This book was interesting to me because it provided different examples of eyes that animals had. Although, the facts that were given were very straight forward and used words that younger readers would probably not know. I would recommend this book for 4th graders and higher. I could use this book in a science lesson when we are focusing on functions of eyes and how animals are all different. I could create a worksheet where students have to look through the book after reading it, to find answers to the questions based on the facts that were given.
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