Reviewed by Judy Kraus
Science Teacher
Shivering, sweating...are you too cold or too warm? How do you keep the right body temperature? Do all animals regulate their temperature the same way you do? Caroline Arnold describes these diverse experiences scientifically for your reading pleasure.
Delicate watercolor illustrations by Annie Patterson complement the text beautifully. Drawings of a dog panting as he chases a ball, walruses sitting on sea ice, and birds perching on a ledge all demonstrate adaptations that allow organisms to survive in the heat as well as the cold. Soft colors place the animals in the appropriate ecosystem providing seamless transitions.
From morning to evening, North Pole to South Pole, and on land or water, temperatures vary greatly. Species have a great capacity to adapt. Warm–blooded, or endothermic organisms, like the flying squirrel, chickens, dogs, and people maintain a constant body temperature. Cold blooded, or ectothermic organisms, like spotted salamanders, rainbow trout, or collared lizards have body temperatures that vary with the environment.
Fast facts are often illustrated with magnifications like sweat glands, blubber layers, and goose bumps or captions that stimulate curiosity. Readers will be fascinated by ruby–throated hummingbirds summering in Canada, a rockhopper penguin fluffing its feathers, or the fennec fox cooling itself by allowing heat to escape through its large ears.
Cool swims, hot baths, estivating or hibernating are all detailed. Terms are defined in text and supplemented with glossary definitions. Equipped with survival tools all animals are able adapt and Too Hot? Too Cold? is the perfect book to introduce readers to the diversity around us.
Review posted on 3/11/2013
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