Homes in the Wild: Where Baby Animals and Their Parents Live by Lita Judge

Abstract

Reviewed by: Homes in the Wild: Where Baby Animals and Their Parents Live by Lita Judge Deborah Stevenson, Editor Judge, Lita Homes in the Wild: Where Baby Animals and Their Parents Live; written and illus. by Lita Judge. Roaring Brook, 20119 [48p] ISBN 978-1-62672-724-3 $18.99 Reviewed from galleys R 5-8 yrs Following on her Born in the Wild (BCCB 1/15), Judge now turns her attention to the dwellings of many wild-born critters. Sections start with a general precept ("A home can be underground") and then offer examples with explanations in more detailed, smaller-print text (coyotes like to nest in abandoned dens, a longeared jerboa digs a burrow under the desert, and each nine-banded armadillo may excavate up to twelve burrows "as if building several weekend cottages"). There are a few bobbles in the text (for instance, the closing statement that "all baby animals need a home where they and their families are safe and sheltered" ignores a lot of the animal kingdom), but it's a pleasing intro to some animal—though actually only mammal—habitats. The cuddly watercolor art is robust in texture, and audiences won't mind the unscientific seasoning of anthropomorphism in the animals' expressions. This could be a useful, if more narrowly focused, complement to Jenkins' I See a Kookaburra (BCCB 5/05); advanced young readers will appreciate the combination of adorable animals and sophisticated text, while others will enjoy having the details read aloud as they look at endearing kits and pups. End matter includes more information about the featured animals, including their habitat and litter sizes, plus a short glossary, a list of sources, and a collection of relevant websites. Copyright © 2019 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois