Park, Jane. Hidden Creature Features. Lerner/Millbrook, 03/2023. [32]pp. Non-Fiction. GRADES Preschool – 2. PLB $29.32. 978-1-7284-4567-0. ADDITIONAL.
Animal adaptations are introduced in rhyming couplets followed by brief text describing the adaptation. Readers will enjoy unusual animals such as colugo, pacu, pangolin, and sarcastic fringehead and their hidden features. Unfortunately, the term “adaptation” is not defined until the glossary at the end. The book would benefit from an introductory paragraph tying that term with the title, making it more accessible to the very young audience it targets. Stock photos accompany the text to introduce the animal and provide a close-up of each adaptation, though some are low resolution.
Cindy Gullikson—Joaquin Miller School, Oakland Unified School District