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Animal Science
Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals Are Big and Little Animals Are Little
"Nicola Davies is the best thing to happen to biology classes since the invention of the filmstrip." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books (starred review)
Did you ever wonder why there are no high-flying superheroes in real life? Find out what keeps big animals (like us) from performing amazing feats of strength and agility, yet why being tiny and powerful might have a downside. What if you could lift fifty times your weight (hello, ant), but getting wet could kill you? Or you could soar like a bird, but a cold breeze would do you in? From an award-winning duo, an intriguing look at what it means to be just the right size. Back matter includes an index and a glossary.
Did you ever wonder why there are no high-flying superheroes in real life? Find out what keeps big animals (like us) from performing amazing feats of strength and agility, yet why being tiny and powerful might have a downside. What if you could lift fifty times your weight (hello, ant), but getting wet could kill you? Or you could soar like a bird, but a cold breeze would do you in? From an award-winning duo, an intriguing look at what it means to be just the right size. Back matter includes an index and a glossary.
64 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2009
About the author
Nicola Davies
197 books189 followers"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 did--as part of a pair of scientific expeditions, one to Newfoundland at the age of eighteen and another to the Indian Ocean a year later. In WILD ABOUT DOLPHINS, Nicola Davies describes her voyages in a firsthand account filled with fascinating facts and captivating photographs of seven species of dolphins in action.
Nicola Davies's seemingly boundless enthusiasm for studying animals of all kinds has led her around the world--and fortunately for young readers, she is just as excited about sharing her interests through picture books. The zoologist's latest offering puts a decidedly quirky twist on her years of experience: POOP: A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE UNMENTIONABLE is a fun, fact-filled guide to the fascinating world of poop across species. "As a zoologist, you are never far from poop!" the writer explains. "I've baked goose poop in an oven with my dinner, looked at bat poop under the microscope, and had my T-shirt stained pink with blue-whale poop. I was obviously fated to write this book."
The exceptional combination of Nicola Davies's zoological expertise and her first-rate children's writing is apparent in her remarkable catalog of award-winning titles. Her first book with Candlewick Press, BIG BLUE WHALE, was hailed by American Bookseller as an "artfully composed study" offering "language exactly appropriate for four- to seven-year-olds and precisely the right amount of information." In ONE TINY TURTLE, Nicola Davies's clear, compelling narrative follows the life of the rarely seen loggerhead turtle, which swims the oceans for thirty years and for thousands of miles in search of food, only to return, uncannily, to lay her eggs on the very beach where she was born. The author's next book, BAT LOVES THE NIGHT, is a tenderly written ode to a much-misunderstood flying mammal, the pipistrelle bat, while SURPRISING SHARKS--winner of a BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Honor Award--contains unexpected facts about another one of the planet's most infamous animals.
When she is not off on scientific expeditions, Nicola Davies lives in a cottage in Somerset, England, where she is lucky enough to have pipistrelle bats nesting in her roof.
Nicola Davies's seemingly boundless enthusiasm for studying animals of all kinds has led her around the world--and fortunately for young readers, she is just as excited about sharing her interests through picture books. The zoologist's latest offering puts a decidedly quirky twist on her years of experience: POOP: A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE UNMENTIONABLE is a fun, fact-filled guide to the fascinating world of poop across species. "As a zoologist, you are never far from poop!" the writer explains. "I've baked goose poop in an oven with my dinner, looked at bat poop under the microscope, and had my T-shirt stained pink with blue-whale poop. I was obviously fated to write this book."
The exceptional combination of Nicola Davies's zoological expertise and her first-rate children's writing is apparent in her remarkable catalog of award-winning titles. Her first book with Candlewick Press, BIG BLUE WHALE, was hailed by American Bookseller as an "artfully composed study" offering "language exactly appropriate for four- to seven-year-olds and precisely the right amount of information." In ONE TINY TURTLE, Nicola Davies's clear, compelling narrative follows the life of the rarely seen loggerhead turtle, which swims the oceans for thirty years and for thousands of miles in search of food, only to return, uncannily, to lay her eggs on the very beach where she was born. The author's next book, BAT LOVES THE NIGHT, is a tenderly written ode to a much-misunderstood flying mammal, the pipistrelle bat, while SURPRISING SHARKS--winner of a BOSTON GLOBE-HORN BOOK Honor Award--contains unexpected facts about another one of the planet's most infamous animals.
When she is not off on scientific expeditions, Nicola Davies lives in a cottage in Somerset, England, where she is lucky enough to have pipistrelle bats nesting in her roof.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
July 9, 2019
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 sad day...
This engaging picture-book sets out to communicate that same idea - nicknamed the BTLT ("Big Thing/Little Thing") Rule here - and to explore the pros and cons of both small and large size, the adaptations necessary to achieve larger size, and the size limitations imposed by biology. On the whole, I think it accomplishes its goal, presenting its information coherently, and maintaining a "fun" feeling, despite the factual content. The accompanying illustrations by Neil Layton, although a little too "cartoonish" to appeal to me, aesthetically speaking, succeed in keeping the tone of the book light and breezy. An index and glossary are included at the rear. All in all, Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals Are Big and Little Animals Are Little is an appealing science book for the younger set - upper elementary school and above, I would say - and is recommended to young readers with an interest in biology, and how organisms "work."
This engaging picture-book sets out to communicate that same idea - nicknamed the BTLT ("Big Thing/Little Thing") Rule here - and to explore the pros and cons of both small and large size, the adaptations necessary to achieve larger size, and the size limitations imposed by biology. On the whole, I think it accomplishes its goal, presenting its information coherently, and maintaining a "fun" feeling, despite the factual content. The accompanying illustrations by Neil Layton, although a little too "cartoonish" to appeal to me, aesthetically speaking, succeed in keeping the tone of the book light and breezy. An index and glossary are included at the rear. All in all, Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals Are Big and Little Animals Are Little is an appealing science book for the younger set - upper elementary school and above, I would say - and is recommended to young readers with an interest in biology, and how organisms "work."
June 21, 2011
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, jam packed with detailed facts about all sorts of creatures who exist or have existed on earth, humans included.
The book is a pleasing small size and somewhat usually shaped; it has a lot more inside than the reader would guess from looking at its outside.
Overall, this is a fun and educational book, jam packed with detailed facts about all sorts of creatures who exist or have existed on earth, humans included.
The book is a pleasing small size and somewhat usually shaped; it has a lot more inside than the reader would guess from looking at its outside.
October 10, 2009
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 are complicated. I just happened to be reading the section of "Chaos" by James Gleick that discusses the same ideas. Very coincidental!
August 22, 2020
Animal science book. Another lovely one for Y3
August 7, 2009
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 classroom use), Just the Right Size ably delivers.
Why can’t people lift 10 times their body weight like ants can? How come I can’t crawl on my ceiling like a gecko? As Biggie Smalls (never) said: “Mo’ mass, mo’ problems”. Most of the information in Just the Right Size is based on a scientific rule (they call it The BTLT Rule) that is explained early on:
If you double the length of something, its surface area and cross section go up four times, while its volume and weight go up EIGHT times!
This exponential increase in weight is to blame for our species’ inability to walk on water and crawl on the ceiling. Over the course of 60 pages, Nicola Davies and Neal Layton (Extreme Animals) apply The BTLT Rule to explain the dietary, migratory, and evolutionary differences between large and small animals. Of special interest to many young readers will be the section that, in gleeful detail, explains why giant humans and spiders can’t exist. In short? They would be so heavy their legs would break. Indeed, there is a certain segment of scientific-minded youngsters who will eat this up.
The brightly colored doodle illustrations serve the text well, illustrating the concepts presented in a style that young readers will be able to grasp. However, I can’t help but envision this one getting passed over due to the overall presentation. The dimensions, cover, and interior illustrations of Just the Right Size may give kids on the upper end of this book’s intended constituency (5th-6th grade) the impression that it is for a younger audience than it really is. That would be a shame, as the content is well-suited for that age group.
Here’s hoping Just the Right Size is able to find it’s audience, be it kid or classroom. An engaging, understandable, refreshingly focused look at a topic every child has considered.
Why can’t people lift 10 times their body weight like ants can? How come I can’t crawl on my ceiling like a gecko? As Biggie Smalls (never) said: “Mo’ mass, mo’ problems”. Most of the information in Just the Right Size is based on a scientific rule (they call it The BTLT Rule) that is explained early on:
If you double the length of something, its surface area and cross section go up four times, while its volume and weight go up EIGHT times!
This exponential increase in weight is to blame for our species’ inability to walk on water and crawl on the ceiling. Over the course of 60 pages, Nicola Davies and Neal Layton (Extreme Animals) apply The BTLT Rule to explain the dietary, migratory, and evolutionary differences between large and small animals. Of special interest to many young readers will be the section that, in gleeful detail, explains why giant humans and spiders can’t exist. In short? They would be so heavy their legs would break. Indeed, there is a certain segment of scientific-minded youngsters who will eat this up.
The brightly colored doodle illustrations serve the text well, illustrating the concepts presented in a style that young readers will be able to grasp. However, I can’t help but envision this one getting passed over due to the overall presentation. The dimensions, cover, and interior illustrations of Just the Right Size may give kids on the upper end of this book’s intended constituency (5th-6th grade) the impression that it is for a younger audience than it really is. That would be a shame, as the content is well-suited for that age group.
Here’s hoping Just the Right Size is able to find it’s audience, be it kid or classroom. An engaging, understandable, refreshingly focused look at a topic every child has considered.
December 2, 2019
Book Title: Just the Right Size: Why Big Animals Are Big and Little Animals Are Little
Author/Illustrator: Nicola Davies/Neal Layton
Reading Level: U
Book Level: 5.8
Book Summary: The author uses wit in describing the “Big Thing, Little Thing” rule, which explains how the length, surface area and cross section of an object or creature are relative to its volume and weight. This is why
Bookshelf Mentor Writing Traits :
Voice: After reading the book, students will be provided with other sources in which we consume information. They will be provided with a newspaper article and a tabloid magazine. Students will create a Venn diagram to record stylistically, how the writing is similar and different.
Word Choice: This book uses colorful adjectives in the writing. So after a chapter is read, I’ll reread a version which has all the descriptive words removed. The students will write down how many colorful descriptive words they can find, which won’t be many. Then I’ll reread the chapter as intended, and have the students write down the colorful descriptive words. As a group, we’ll make a list of all the descriptive words as we read through each chapter.
Author/Illustrator: Nicola Davies/Neal Layton
Reading Level: U
Book Level: 5.8
Book Summary: The author uses wit in describing the “Big Thing, Little Thing” rule, which explains how the length, surface area and cross section of an object or creature are relative to its volume and weight. This is why
Bookshelf Mentor Writing Traits :
Voice: After reading the book, students will be provided with other sources in which we consume information. They will be provided with a newspaper article and a tabloid magazine. Students will create a Venn diagram to record stylistically, how the writing is similar and different.
Word Choice: This book uses colorful adjectives in the writing. So after a chapter is read, I’ll reread a version which has all the descriptive words removed. The students will write down how many colorful descriptive words they can find, which won’t be many. Then I’ll reread the chapter as intended, and have the students write down the colorful descriptive words. As a group, we’ll make a list of all the descriptive words as we read through each chapter.
November 1, 2017
This book does a great job of expressing a very specific idea: what the author calls the "BTLT Rule" (big thing little thing): if you double the length of something, its surface area and cross section go up four times, while its volume and weight go up eight times. The author uses this rule to explain a wide variety of differences in sizes, abilities, and anatomical structures of animals. Though this sounds both dry and difficult to understand, the author makes it seem accessible, fun, and important. Illustrations are goofy and cartoonish but do an excellent job of explaining the narrative. Though the book is pretty long for a picture book, it doesn't feel wordy or redundant at all. Overall, a great math/science nonfiction book!
October 14, 2017
A fantastic discussion of the physical form: volume, surface area and the scientific reasons creatures are the way they are.
This would be a terrific addition to any school library or science classroom.
This would be a terrific addition to any school library or science classroom.
November 8, 2009
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 this book as I quite obviously am barely grasping any of this.)
The pictures are funny and helped me understand this concept better. If I really wanted to understand this concept, this book would be just the one to read, I think.
A bit:
“Here is a Little Thing. It could be anything---a car, a log, a bar of soap---but it just happens to be a creature (even if it looks a bit like a cube)….
Now let’s meet Big Thing. Big Thing is TWICE the size of Little Thing….
How many Little Things would it take to make one Big Thing?
If you look carefully, you can see that Big Thing’s surface area and cross section are FOUR times bigger than Little Thing’s. But Big Thing’s volume and weight are EIGHT times bigger.”
Children’s reactions:
The group of eight first graders who looked at this book had very little interest in this book. Perhaps this book is aiming at an older audience.
The pictures are funny and helped me understand this concept better. If I really wanted to understand this concept, this book would be just the one to read, I think.
A bit:
“Here is a Little Thing. It could be anything---a car, a log, a bar of soap---but it just happens to be a creature (even if it looks a bit like a cube)….
Now let’s meet Big Thing. Big Thing is TWICE the size of Little Thing….
How many Little Things would it take to make one Big Thing?
If you look carefully, you can see that Big Thing’s surface area and cross section are FOUR times bigger than Little Thing’s. But Big Thing’s volume and weight are EIGHT times bigger.”
Children’s reactions:
The group of eight first graders who looked at this book had very little interest in this book. Perhaps this book is aiming at an older audience.
February 28, 2011
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 a normal human, only ten times bigger all over. Ten times taller, wider, and deeper, making him one thousand times heavier. The giant took his first giant step, and with a giant crashing sound, both his legs snapped. The end. (And exactly the same thing happened to the giant's best friend, the monster spider!)
Remember, strength doesn't keep up with weight, because strength depends on the size of the cross section. In this case, the cross section, or slice, through the giant's leg is a hundred times bigger than a normal human's, so only a hundred times stronger--much too weak to take the giant's huge weight, a thousand times greater than a normal human's!
A real 60-foot-tall giant would need legs that were so thick they would probably be too heavy to lift.
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 a normal human, only ten times bigger all over. Ten times taller, wider, and deeper, making him one thousand times heavier. The giant took his first giant step, and with a giant crashing sound, both his legs snapped. The end. (And exactly the same thing happened to the giant's best friend, the monster spider!)
Remember, strength doesn't keep up with weight, because strength depends on the size of the cross section. In this case, the cross section, or slice, through the giant's leg is a hundred times bigger than a normal human's, so only a hundred times stronger--much too weak to take the giant's huge weight, a thousand times greater than a normal human's!
A real 60-foot-tall giant would need legs that were so thick they would probably be too heavy to lift.
January 16, 2025
This is an extraordinary book of information to boggle andamaze one’s mind. The author explains the reasons for all creatures to be the sizes they are and why they couldn’t survive being other sizes. This is a very interesting scientific picture book with amusing illustrations to help show what the author is saying. Topics included: meet some small superheroes and real giants; rules against super powers; the BTLT rule – alive!; Why the humans can’t take off; dancing on water; walking on the ceiling; why we can’t lift buses; getting rid of monsters; big, bigger, biggest?; Rules on the inside; folds and wrinkles; books and tubes; get big with lungs; big and complicated; it’s tough being tiny; the not-so-super super heroes; cold-sized; hot dinos; big food; big travels; cheap flights for small fliers; biggest winners; big voice – little voice; big AND small; just the right size; index; glossary:
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March 22, 2010 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 some readers, this may be overwealming. the pictures and diagrams are cartoon-like and appears to be geared for younger students but the information provided and the concepts are designed for an upper elementary student. As a college student i learned a lot about animal features that i did not know and i think it can be useful for the right group of kids.
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 some readers, this may be overwealming. the pictures and diagrams are cartoon-like and appears to be geared for younger students but the information provided and the concepts are designed for an upper elementary student. As a college student i learned a lot about animal features that i did not know and i think it can be useful for the right group of kids.
June 22, 2010
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 are funny because they look like someone just scribbled them on a notepad, and in fact some of the captions have scribbled out words!
Non-fiction, science, animals.
This would be great for kids who are interested in science and how things work. The illustrations are funny because they look like someone just scribbled them on a notepad, and in fact some of the captions have scribbled out words!
Non-fiction, science, animals.
February 2, 2012
Good book for older students. It puts math into real life problems dealing with real things. I love how it relates to animals and how they are not what you think they are and all the amazing things they can do. This book is great for smaller children so they can understand 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.This book would be great for students in second grade.The math is very realistic and is perfect to work with addition and subtraction.
July 11, 2012
This amazing book explains why super-strong giants like King Kong can’t exist using simple math and science in real life. If you can do multiplication, you can understand this book! From tiny single cell animals to giant whales and dinosaurs—all are explained using one simple rule. This is part of why ants are stronger for their size than gorillas, and if a giant spider (like in Lord of the Rings) existed, it’s weight would snap off all it’s legs! If you like learning about how the world works, this is a really cool book.
August 7, 2009
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.
October 26, 2009
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/200...
Read my full review on my blog:
http://abbylibrarian.blogspot.com/200...
June 29, 2010
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.
November 26, 2016
This is an informational book about an interesting mathematical principle. As insightful as it is, it took quite a bit of mental energy for me to understand it as an adult. It may be too complex for elementary age students, but could perhaps be used as an extension of a mathematics lesson someday to show how mathematics applies to the real world of biology. It does do a good job of giving many examples of the principle presented
August 3, 2010
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.
August 1, 2012
Great book for explaining why there are no elephant sized insects, humans can't walk upside down on the ceiling, and blue whales don't have legs. It uses geometry to explain biology. My brain hurt sometimes as I was reading it, and I had to put it down and think really hard about the passage I had just read. It is deceptively simple in appearnce.
April 12, 2013
So, why are elephants a specific size and why are birds different sizes and how come whales are bigger than dinosaurs? And is it better to be big or small? This is a fun read for bright kids who like to learn stuff. I'm not crazy about the illustrations but they do break up the text and make it a more accessible book for more reluctant readers who choose it for a book report.
June 24, 2010
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.
April 29, 2011
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.
October 6, 2009
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.
January 7, 2010
I didn't really like this book but I think kids would find the facts interesting.
January 6, 2011
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.
July 21, 2011
It's a cute books. THe kids will enjoy learning that way. Especially when comparing dad to a gorilla. :)
August 19, 2011
I didn't like this one as much as Nicola's similarly designed nonfiction book about Parasites.
October 21, 2013
So clear and concise, I loved this book. Wish this book had been around when I was a kid!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews