December 2, 2024
Meticulously painted acrylic and colored pencil spreads by Caldecott Honoree Lies give outsize visual impact to this look at tiny mammals. On the cover, a ferret sporting a bow tie and a formal jacket politely pulls aside a red velvet curtain. “You probably already know a lot about BIG mammals like elephants and hippos and giraffes,” the narrator explains, which is why “this exhibit celebrates small.” Offering visual context, the introductory spread pictures a tiny hedgehog next to an elephant’s massive foot. After defining the word mammal, Stewart (Thank You, Moon) dives into a lively survey, each spread of which views a mini-mammal in close-up on the verso (“Hello, Japanese dwarf flying squirrel!”) with a recto-side view of the animal in its habitat (it “weighs about the same as a small Asian pear”). Nine more mammals of diminishing size are introduced until, at last, readers arrive at the smallest mammal of all (“A Kitti’s hog-nosed bat weighs a little less than four mini marshmallows”). Alongside the gallery of dramatic close-ups, factoid-filled text provides a jumping-off place for conversations about survival and habitat. “Mini-Mammal Small Stats” conclude. Ages 4–8. Illustrator’s agent: Erin Murphy, Erin Murphy Literary.
January 1, 2025
Come along on an informative countdown of 10 of the world's smallest mammals. Most children are familiar with elephants, cats, and dogs. But what about their smaller cousins? An anthropomorphized ferret, clad in a jaunty bow tie and jacket, takes readers on a museum tour to learn about 10 mini-mammals from all over the world. This newest addition to Stewart's prolific portfolio of nonfiction picture books is chock-full of riveting information about these smallest of specimens: In the winter, when food is scarce, the Madame Berthe's mouse lemur consumes insect poop; the Etruscan pygmy shrew takes 40 breaths in the same amount of time a human breathes once. The author also tells an engaging story that makes adept use of humor and alliteration as the furry narrator wrangles the subjects into ranked order, from the (relatively) largest to the very tiniest; the ferret's asides and questions build suspense ("Isthis lively leaper the mini-est mammal of all?") and add whimsy. Lies' illustrations, created with acrylic paint and colored pencil, are amazingly lifelike, featuring incredible texture and detail. Each spread depicts a creature gazing out earnestly from a wooden picture frame; the facing page shows the mammal in its natural habitat. That each of the featured animals is portrayed true to size will further delight youngsters. Readers can delve even deeper with the appended "Mini-Mammal Small Stats" section, while a list of selected sources will extend their learning further. A surefire hit for budding wildlife biologists.(Informational picture book. 4-8)
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Starred review from December 13, 2024
PreS-Gr 3-What are the smallest mammals? That's what this interesting and engaging picture book aims to find. An elegantly attired black-footed ferret serves as a guide to all the smallest mammals. After a short introduction of what makes an animal a mammal, each small mammal is given a spread depicting its actual size, its weight compared to common objects, and other interesting facts. Vivid illustrations show every animal in a picture frame scaled to show its actual size as well as the animals moving around in their native habitat. One page shows a galago, which weighs about the same as a softball; young readers will be fascinated by the fact that galagos spray urine on their feet to help them grip branches. At the end of the book, a map shows the habitat range of each animal as well as additional information about them. VERDICT Teachers and librarians will be able to use this as a mentor text for research projects; young readers and their families will love poring over the pictures and telling friends about the new facts they've learned. A must-have for any elementary library.-Debbie Tanner
Copyright 2025 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
February 25, 2025
Grades K-3 Larger mammals get a lot of glory, but it's high time the smaller ones get their due. After briefly outlining what a mammal is, a dapper ferret in a blazer and bow tie invites readers to meet 10 compact creatures in the natural history museum. Each striking spread features a mini-mammal perched in a picture frame, drawn to its real-life specifications, and then exhibited in its natural habitat. There's the wide-eyed Japanese dwarf flying squirrel, able to glide huge distances in a single leap, and the Etruscan pygmy shrew, which eats twice its weight every night. The mammals get tinier and tinier, until the teeniest of them all gets the very smallest spotlight. The clever concept will easily appeal to a wide variety of readers, charming younger ones with remarkably lifelike illustrations and roping in an older audience with fun facts and amusing antics. Appropriately tiny text boxes add humorous context, and even animal experts will surely find a new favorite. An immensely appealing introduction that entertains as well as it educates.
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