Chickens Don't Fly: and other fun facts (Did You Know?) - Hardcover

Laura Lyn DiSiena is an art director who loves to write, design, and make crafty things. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, with her artsy husband and two naughty cats. You can visit them online at OhWellHello.com.

Hannah Eliot is a children’s book editor who lives in Manhattan, New York. Her favorite activities include editing (of course), writing, painting, and doodling all over every piece of notebook paper she uses.

As a seasoned professional in the animation industry, Pete Oswald’s credits include traditional animation, CG, and stop motion. Pete’s work as an illustrator and designer includes Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends, Madagascar 2, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, ParaNorman, and Hotel Transylvania. His short film, The Story of Walls (2009), earned him an Annie Award nomination. Pete and his family live in Santa Monica, California.

K-Gr 2—These titles are sure to whet the appetites of animal-loving children and maybe even some adults. Each book starts off with a few basic facts in the form of questions, such as "Did you know female chickens are called hens and male chickens are called roosters?" After that, things take off. Cool and intriguing facts about different animals (except household pets) are highlighted in two-page spreads. The transition between animals is smooth, and the authors do a commendable job of connecting or contrasting a fact or attribute of one animal to the next. For example, in Hippos Can't Swim, it is mentioned that jellyfish can produce light in their bodies, which is used to scare off predators. The next animals to be discussed are fireflies, whose light is used to communicate and to attract mates. In addition to the collection of interesting facts, the illustrations are comical and entertaining, though average in quality. Young readers are sure to be amused by these zany looking animals. These lively books are great choices for general purchase.—Jeanette Lambert, Nashville-Davidson County Schools, TN