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Best Foot Forward: Exploring Feet, Flippers, and Claws
Whose foot is this? An intriguing close-up of an animals foot piques curiosity that is satisfied on the following page with a stunning full-size photo of the animal itself and a brief description of how the foot is used. This book provides an entertaining and informative science lesson about how various animals feet are perfectly adapted to their particular use.
36 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2007
80 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
June 23, 2016
The main problem with this is that it's too short! But it may just encourage kids to go and look at their pets and pests more carefully. Note - the photos are gorgeous, unless you have a strong aversion to creepy-crawlies. Please do not pass that aversion onto your children! I learned a few things, and was only able to guess some of the feet... I was unaware of the thing about seals... fascinating for all ages. A bit like Tana Hoban if any of you remember her books....
Note - not all animals are shown in full - caterpillar, seal, tiger... yes.... but lobster, octopus, chimpanzee, and others... no. So you might want to preview this before sharing it with the kids, and have photos of the unfamiliar animals available.
Note - not all animals are shown in full - caterpillar, seal, tiger... yes.... but lobster, octopus, chimpanzee, and others... no. So you might want to preview this before sharing it with the kids, and have photos of the unfamiliar animals available.
January 16, 2014
I love, love, love the photographs in this book about animal feet. It starts by showing a double page spread of an animal foot and asking "Whose foot is this?" Even my 10 year old loved guessing. My 8 year old and 5 year old did too. Then the next page would tell which animal it belonged to and how the animal uses its foot/flipper/claw. Then the other side of the page would show 2-4 photos of other animals with interesting (often similar) feet. This pattern then repeats with a new set of animals. I read this in the car and my husband even asked me to show him a few of the photos as I read aloud or would say, "really?" Or "I didn't know that." It is not a very long book, but it was very high interest.
We all loved that on the author bio page instead of having a photo of the author, it had a photo of his foot.
We all loved that on the author bio page instead of having a photo of the author, it had a photo of his foot.
August 5, 2013
I loved seeing the bottoms of different animals' feet. And the fact that you turn the page to find out what animal a foot belongs to is cool. I only wish that all feet that are pictured had a picture of an animal to go along with it. Sure kids know what an elephant looks like...but how much cooler would the book be if the animal was shown as well as the foot? A lot of animals are shown, just not all. Even if it was just at the end of the book and all the animals were lined up in order of which foot was shown first. But still, it is a fascinating book!
June 25, 2015
Cute, I loved it and thought it was informative, however it didn't give the big picture of the animal. If the child wasn't already familiar with animal it does not give context.
July 26, 2018
In this book, authentic photographs tell the function of multiple animals’ and insects’ foot. By adopting the format of a guessing game, the author asks “Whose foot is this?” By flipping the page, readers could see what animal the foot belonged to. The photograph captures the soles of animal's feet against a black background, distinguishing the detailed features of the feet. The author provides new perspectives on feet and the function by using authentic visual mediums.
What I wish to add to this book was to add photographs of the animals that additional foot images belonged to. That is, the organization of the book is to introduce an image of the foot and the animal on the next page. With the image of the animal, however, four more photographs were embedded in each page that also contain other animals’ or insects’ foot without pictures of the animals. For instance, the foot image of a long-horned beetle was not along with the picture of the long-horned beetle. Without background knowledge or at least visual images in mind about this insect, readers could not make a connection between the insect and the foot and its function.
What I wish to add to this book was to add photographs of the animals that additional foot images belonged to. That is, the organization of the book is to introduce an image of the foot and the animal on the next page. With the image of the animal, however, four more photographs were embedded in each page that also contain other animals’ or insects’ foot without pictures of the animals. For instance, the foot image of a long-horned beetle was not along with the picture of the long-horned beetle. Without background knowledge or at least visual images in mind about this insect, readers could not make a connection between the insect and the foot and its function.
picture-books
March 14, 2024Date: 02.16.24
Attendees: 62
Theme: Animals, Guessing Games
Introduction and announcements: We Wiggle and Wiggle and Stop
Book one: Best Foot Forward by Ingo Arndt
Song/rhyme/game one: Slippery Fish
Book two: It's an Orange Aardvark! By Michael Hall
Song/rhyme/game two: Animal Freeze Dance Song by The Kiboomers
Book three: What Do They Do with All That Poo? by Jane Kurtz
Song/ rhyme/ game three: This is the Way We Bang our Sticks
Activity: Free Play
Attendees: 62
Theme: Animals, Guessing Games
Introduction and announcements: We Wiggle and Wiggle and Stop
Book one: Best Foot Forward by Ingo Arndt
Song/rhyme/game one: Slippery Fish
Book two: It's an Orange Aardvark! By Michael Hall
Song/rhyme/game two: Animal Freeze Dance Song by The Kiboomers
Book three: What Do They Do with All That Poo? by Jane Kurtz
Song/ rhyme/ game three: This is the Way We Bang our Sticks
Activity: Free Play
August 2, 2024
Whose foot is this? Stunning close-up photos guide readers through a guessing game. As each answer is revealed, more information about feet for walking, climbing, swimming, and more is shared. This one is worth slowing down and savoring the visual treat.
February 7, 2020
An interesting look at a diverse group of feet and the animals that are attached to them. Written by a nature photographer, all the pictures are beautiful and interesting to see.
October 4, 2016
by Ingo Arndt
Holiday House, New York, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2857-1
Description: 28 unnumbered pages : color illustrations ; 23 cm
Dewey: 591.47
Subject: Informational nonfiction; animal adaptations; question and answer format
Interest Level: K-3; Reading Level: 3.5
Lexile measure: 920
5 out of 5 stars
Summary from jacket flap: “Whose foot is this? An intriguing close-up of an animal's foot invites you to guess. Turn the page to find out if you’re right. You’ll discover that feet aren’t only for walking. Some feet are made for climbing, others for digging, or swimming, leaping, or grasping. A tiger silently stalks its prey on velvet paws. A gecko’s ribbed feet enable it to climb walls as smooth as glass. This book’s guessing game format makes learning about natural adaptation fun.
Evaluation: Overall, Best Foot Forward is an amazing picture book that centers around animal feet and the adaptations that make them well-suited to perform different tasks.
Similar to other question and answer books that I have looked at, this book features an opening two-page spread that repeats the question, “Whose foot is this?” An extreme close-up of the foot accompanies the question. This enables the reader and listener to really examine the foot and see the features that make it unique. Once you turn the page for the answer, you find out what animal’s paw we are examining, as well as a general category that fits the paw. The categories include: feet that walk, feet that climb, feet that swim, feet that dig, feet that jump, and extraordinary feet.
In addition to a full-page view of the featured animal, there is brief information about what makes the paw unique and suited to that animal. There is also a text box that talks about the category of feet and where this type of foot is particularly useful. For “feet that swim,” the text box tells us that “animals that swim need feet that help propel them in water.” Each section doesn’t just focus on one animal; up to four animals and their feet may be discussed.
What makes this book exceptional, is the incredible close-up photographs of the different animal feet. Even the foot of a common animal, like a duck, is fascinating when viewed up close.
Best Foot Forward is not as strong of a read-aloud as What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? While the stunning photographs will engage the same age group and are large enough to be seen in a group setting, the text is not as suited for a read-aloud. There is no narrative flow, so the reading is very choppy.
I would really recommend this book to individual readers, especially if they have just listened to a read-aloud of What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? If they liked the question and answer format of that one, this would make a good recommendation for pleasure reading. The short bursts of text are suited to reluctant readers or those who want to stretch themselves and read something a little above their independent level. The close-ups of feet invite the reader to spend time studying the photographs, which is something that is not suited for a read-aloud. There is also an index to the many animals included in the book, so readers can jump around and read about what interests them most.
Holiday House, New York, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2857-1
Description: 28 unnumbered pages : color illustrations ; 23 cm
Dewey: 591.47
Subject: Informational nonfiction; animal adaptations; question and answer format
Interest Level: K-3; Reading Level: 3.5
Lexile measure: 920
5 out of 5 stars
Summary from jacket flap: “Whose foot is this? An intriguing close-up of an animal's foot invites you to guess. Turn the page to find out if you’re right. You’ll discover that feet aren’t only for walking. Some feet are made for climbing, others for digging, or swimming, leaping, or grasping. A tiger silently stalks its prey on velvet paws. A gecko’s ribbed feet enable it to climb walls as smooth as glass. This book’s guessing game format makes learning about natural adaptation fun.
Evaluation: Overall, Best Foot Forward is an amazing picture book that centers around animal feet and the adaptations that make them well-suited to perform different tasks.
Similar to other question and answer books that I have looked at, this book features an opening two-page spread that repeats the question, “Whose foot is this?” An extreme close-up of the foot accompanies the question. This enables the reader and listener to really examine the foot and see the features that make it unique. Once you turn the page for the answer, you find out what animal’s paw we are examining, as well as a general category that fits the paw. The categories include: feet that walk, feet that climb, feet that swim, feet that dig, feet that jump, and extraordinary feet.
In addition to a full-page view of the featured animal, there is brief information about what makes the paw unique and suited to that animal. There is also a text box that talks about the category of feet and where this type of foot is particularly useful. For “feet that swim,” the text box tells us that “animals that swim need feet that help propel them in water.” Each section doesn’t just focus on one animal; up to four animals and their feet may be discussed.
What makes this book exceptional, is the incredible close-up photographs of the different animal feet. Even the foot of a common animal, like a duck, is fascinating when viewed up close.
Best Foot Forward is not as strong of a read-aloud as What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? While the stunning photographs will engage the same age group and are large enough to be seen in a group setting, the text is not as suited for a read-aloud. There is no narrative flow, so the reading is very choppy.
I would really recommend this book to individual readers, especially if they have just listened to a read-aloud of What Do You Do with a Tail Like This? If they liked the question and answer format of that one, this would make a good recommendation for pleasure reading. The short bursts of text are suited to reluctant readers or those who want to stretch themselves and read something a little above their independent level. The close-ups of feet invite the reader to spend time studying the photographs, which is something that is not suited for a read-aloud. There is also an index to the many animals included in the book, so readers can jump around and read about what interests them most.
June 15, 2015
This first U.S. Edition of Best Foot Forward by German photographer Ingo Arndt allows young children to get an up close look at animal feet and how they are used. He divides the feet up into 6 different categories such as ”Feet that climb” and “Feet that dig”. The first page of each section is a close up of a foot with the caption “Whose foot is this?” When delighted children have made their guess, it’s time to turn the page where we find a full view of the animal and a short description of how that animal uses this foot. The opposing page features three or four other animals in smaller boxes and how they use their feet.
The color photographs are stunning, offering a very detailed look at something we wouldn’t see in real life unless we were a Zoologist. Kids will have fun playing the guessing game, playfully shouting out answers whether they are being read to or reading on their own. I can see young children having been read this once or twice by an adult, gleefully pouring over it to “read” it again from the pictures and older children who read on their own going back for more information. Extra features include an animal index and a humorous author bio where he shows off his foot. I would recommend this book for purchase for any school or public library.
This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.
The color photographs are stunning, offering a very detailed look at something we wouldn’t see in real life unless we were a Zoologist. Kids will have fun playing the guessing game, playfully shouting out answers whether they are being read to or reading on their own. I can see young children having been read this once or twice by an adult, gleefully pouring over it to “read” it again from the pictures and older children who read on their own going back for more information. Extra features include an animal index and a humorous author bio where he shows off his foot. I would recommend this book for purchase for any school or public library.
This book was provided by the publisher for professional review by SWON Libraries.
July 23, 2013
Cool. Cool. Cool. Now THIS is interesting. I love good children's nonfiction and this book is fascinating. The author/photographer examines animal feet. Crisp photographs show the underside of an animal's foot and give the reader a chance to guess what animal it might be. The author then reveals the animal and shows other animal feet that are used in similar manners. He shows feet of animals that walk, climb, swim, dig, and jump, as well as a few feet that are just plain extraordinary. There are also occasional photographs of the animals themselves. What makes this so interesting is the quality of the photographs. They provide close-up views that are crisp, bright, and fascinating. Have you ever seen a close-up of a caterpillar's feet? Amazing. The text provides simple and clear information about how the animal uses the foot, or more information about the foot itself. This is the sort of book you pore over, and the format also allows its use in classrooms for science lessons and for prediction. My only concern is that the 6-stitch binding won't keep the glossy pages together for the kind of use I'd expect this book to receive.
May 19, 2014
This is an engrossing book, first published in Germany in 2007, that introduces young readers to the concept of animal locomotion via guessing game. A variety of photographs of animal feet are presented on a black-background spread with the caption “Whose foot is this?” The answer is provided on the next page along with four other examples of similarly-footed creatures, beautifully photographed in their natural habitats. The sparse text deals only with how the animals use their feet: to walk, jump, climb, swim or dig. The beautiful close-ups of feet, claws and flippers feature the unique marks, functions and beauty of the individual animal feet. The photographs are stunning in and of themselves. It also lets of children see animals from a different perspective and discover similarities in otherwise unrelated species. Back matter includes an index. This is a wonderful browsing book and would be a welcome addition to any library, but the flimsy binding will not hold up beyond a few circulations.
July 20, 2013
Young readers will be fascinated by the colorful, upclose photographs that fill this book's pages. Because they encounter a photograph first and must guess whose foot, flipper or claw it belongs to, readers are encouraged to make predictions. They can then turn the page to find out if they are right and to learn even more. The book is divided into sections that feet that walk, feet that climb, feet that swim, feet that dig, feet that jump, and feet that are extraordinary. Readers will be intrigued by the suction cups on the tentacles of an octopus, the sticky substance that helps the red-eyed tree frog hang on to its perch, and springy foot of an elephant. I was particularly impressed with how the book designer took care to keep the text from obscuring details in the photos.
April 9, 2014
"Best Foot Forward" by Ingo Arndt would be a perfect twin text with Dr. Suess' "The Foot Book". These two books, if you can't already tell by the name, talk about lots and lots of feet. Dr. Suess' is a very colorful book that talks about how there are diffent types of feet everywhere. Even though the illustrations in the book are not real world creatures, we still ge the picture that there are many different kinds of feet all around us. "Best Foot Forward" provides amazing pictures of the bottom of animals' feet asking the question "Whose foot is this?" It then goes into details about why each of the animals feet are different.
July 30, 2016
A great science book for the youngest readers.
Whose foot is this? An intriguing close-up of an animal's foot piques curiosity that is satisfied on the following page with a full-size photo of the animal itself and a brief description of how the foot is used. On the facing page are two to four other related feet: feet that jump, feet that swim or grip. This book provides an entertaining and informative science lesson about how various animals' feet are perfectly adapted to their particular use.
Whose foot is this? An intriguing close-up of an animal's foot piques curiosity that is satisfied on the following page with a full-size photo of the animal itself and a brief description of how the foot is used. On the facing page are two to four other related feet: feet that jump, feet that swim or grip. This book provides an entertaining and informative science lesson about how various animals' feet are perfectly adapted to their particular use.
December 6, 2013
A fascinating look at feet, flippers, and claws -- from below! From the pads on a tiger's paw to the ribbed feet of a gecko, 25 animals are presented foot-first, and then their identity is revealed.
With full-color photographs, this picture book will be enjoyed by ages 6 and up. Quiz your family! Adults love to guess what foot belongs to what animal; some of these photos will surprise you! A great gift for any occasion.
With full-color photographs, this picture book will be enjoyed by ages 6 and up. Quiz your family! Adults love to guess what foot belongs to what animal; some of these photos will surprise you! A great gift for any occasion.
July 21, 2016
This non-fiction book is more picture than text so it will appeal to young children. Each of the six three page sections start with a large photograph of an animal foot and the question,"Whose foot is this?" The next page shows the animal with a sentence about it and another box with something about animals' feet followed by a few picture samples of other animals who use feet in the same way and a sentence or two about each sample. Little curious minds will love it.
October 12, 2014
http://www.unleashingreaders.com/?p=4232
What a fun and different way to look at animals. The photographs are very well done, and I loved seeing the close ups of their feet. It also is interactive because it starts with the foot close up and inquiry, then gives the answer. Will keep kids engaged.
What a fun and different way to look at animals. The photographs are very well done, and I loved seeing the close ups of their feet. It also is interactive because it starts with the foot close up and inquiry, then gives the answer. Will keep kids engaged.
December 28, 2013
A fascinating look at a variety of feet - including the author's! Some are easy to guess, other's...not-so-much. Some of the pictures are huge and ask "Whose foot is this?" then the reader has to turn the page to find out. This is a nice interactive element for younger kids.
January 16, 2014
Nice photographs of various animals' feet promotes curiosity. Animals are separated by their foot type: feet that swim, feet that dig, etc. Text is fairly simple but many unusual facts can be learned.
December 15, 2015
INCREDIBLE images for a wide variety of feet from all kinds of animals to be matched with the animal they come from. A wonderful start to understanding the different kind of footing needed for land vs water vs climbing animals. Gorgeously detailed photography.
July 29, 2013
Great close-up photography!
August 8, 2013
Fascinating look up close at the feet, flippers, and claws that propel creatures of all sorts. Informative factoids accompany the beautiful photographs.
May 29, 2014
Q & A nonfiction - love the photographs; informative
October 22, 2013
Amazing photography, simple enough text, and great for comparisons.
November 19, 2013
The photos are really amazing. We learned a lot from just a few photographs. Very enlightening and fascinating book!
January 30, 2014
Great Q/A nonfiction
April 2, 2014
Great informational book. I love how it shows different feet of animals and how they use them.
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May 10, 2014J 591.47 Exploring Feet, Flippers, and Claws Whose foot is this?
September 29, 2014
Simple text, interesting photos, many types of animal feet. Guess which one and what does the foot do!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews