Module 7: Actual Size

Summary. This large picture book provides insight into what it would be like to see many different creatures, large and small, up close and personal. From the pygmy shrew (2" long) and the pygmy mouse lemur (the smallest mammal at 2.5" long and weighing less than an ounce) to the Goliath frog (almost three feet long, and requiring a triple page spread) and the giant Australian Gippsland earthworm (also maxing out at around 3'), the biggest and the smallest are all here. Wording with each picture is clear, brief, and to the point. The colorful and detailed torn paper collage artwork makes this book great, and four pages of extensive notes on each creature round out the work. Ages 3 and up.

Citation. Jenkins, Steve. Actual Size. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2004. Print.

My impressions. I was very taken by the artwork in this picture book, but torn paper collage is a medium that really impresses me. I loved the concept as well, showing page-size portions (or, in several instances, multi-page portions) of large creatures, and juxtaposing those with tiny creatures for contrast. My favorite spread might be the Goliath frog. I have a hard time imagining a frog that is three feet from nose to toes when fully extended! But I also loved the roaring Siberian tiger for colorful, eye-popping artwork. I'd definitely recommend "Actual Size" to young animal lovers. It's not with a particular animal book in the 599's, but rather with the "Animals" works in 591.

Library Uses. A great book for preschool storytime! You don't even need to read the words to create the impressions. But reading some of his relevant facts would definitely enhance the learning experience. I'd use it with 3-5 year olds, or even early elementary. This would also be a great book to show for a collage program. I would show 6-8 of the pictures, and then let the students experiment with torn paper collage.

Reviews. (Booklist) Gr. 1-3. As in many of his previous bestiaries, including the Caldecott Honor Book What Can You Do with a Tail Like This? (2003), Jenkins' newest presents a parade of cut-paper animals, each accompanied by a pithy line of text. The difference here is the scale: everything appears at actual size. Jenkins' masterstroke, though, is his inclusion of creatures both great and small, so while petite critters fit comfortably within 12-by-20-inch spreads, larger ones appear as evocatively cropped bits and pieces: a gorilla's massive hand; a Siberian tiger's snarling mug; the unnerving, basketball-size eye of a giant squid. The resulting juxtapositions will leave children marveling at one species' daintiness, then shuddering as they mentally sketch in the unseen portions of more formidable beasts. Jenkins' artwork is gorgeous (a gatefold of a frog in midleap is particularly memorable), and, at the end of the book, thumbnail images of the featured animals paired with information about habitat and behavior put the piquant visuals into a broader context. An unusual, unusually effective tool for connecting children to nature's astonishing variety. --Jennifer Mattson Copyright 2004 Booklist

(School Library Journal) PreS-Gr 5-In striking torn-and-cut paper collages, Jenkins depicts 18 animals and insects-or a part of their body-in actual size. One illustration compares an atlas moth with a 12-inch wingspan to a dwarf goby fish, which is 1/3-inch long. The eye of a giant squid, at a foot across, occupies a spread to terrific effect; only the snout and tongue-curling its two-foot length across two pages and littered with termites-are visible in the picture of the giant anteater. The hand of a gorilla fills a page opposite the entire pygmy mouse lemur with its tiny human-fingertip-sized palm. The saltwater crocodile grows to 23 feet, so tremendous that its head occupies a three-page foldout. On the reverse side is the rat-eating Goliath frog, a staggering 36 inches long in full hop. One or two lines of text briefly introduce each animal and give specific measurements, e.g., the gorilla stands 5 1/2 feet tall and weighs 600 pounds, while the mouse lemur is 2 1/2 inches tall and weighs 1 ounce. The end matter offers full pictures of the creatures and more details about their habitats and habits. Mixing deceptive simplicity with absolute clarity, this beautiful book is an enticing way to introduce children to the glorious diversity of our natural world, or to illustrate to budding scientists the importance of comparison, measurement, observation, and record keeping. A thoroughly engaging read-aloud and a must-have for any collection.-Dona Ratterree, New York City Public Schools Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.