Mammoths on the Move
PreSchool-Grade 2–Buoyant language and vivid artwork depict the excitement of the migration of Massive, hairy,/legendary woolly mammoths. The words flow smoothly, providing interesting bits of information about the animals within the rhymed framework: Come colder days, those mammoth herds/migrated south, just like the birds. Occasional humorous phrases (so mammoths packed their trunks and moved) add a lighthearted touch without detracting from the progression of the journey. Short refrains (Big and bulky,/huge and hulky,/wide and woolly mammoths!) break up the rhythm neatly and are especially lively when read aloud. Scratchboard-and-watercolor illustrations capture the creatures' majesty and the beautiful landscape of their trek. Thick black lines and stark whites are balanced by the luminous colors of sky, water, and snow. The composition of the spreads is varied to strong effect. A dramatic scene shows two grown males clashing, for example, while a page turn reveals a much less imposing pair of calves play fighting. Other visual highlights depict the prehistoric beasts swimming with snorkel-trunks up high, plodding past the bones of less-fortunate travelers, and finally emerging into green fields as They reached the south by winter's end.../then started heading north again! This successful mixture of rhyme, facts, and illustration, applied to a fascinating subject, will make this picture book a popular choice.–Steven Engelfried, Beaverton City Library, ORCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.