Animals Nobody Loves

1. BIBLIOGRAPHIC DATA
Animals Nobody Loves

Written by Seymour Simon

Published by Sea Star Books

Published 2001

ISBN 1-58717-079-5

2. PLOT SUMMARY
If you have ever squealed or screamed when you have come in contact with a not so pleasant animal, then you might want to steer clear of this Seymour Simon title. Simon has written short pieces about some of our animal friends that are a little harder to love, and paired them with photographs of the creatures that look like they are about to attack the reader. This book is sure to grab the attention of the most reluctant reader and keep it until the last page is read.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Using concise, well-written sentences, Simon has managed to say a lot about some not so loveable animal beasts. All animal groups are represented from rodents (rats) to fish (piranhas). Many memorable facts are included in each description of the animals featured. I learned many new things about animals that I had been reluctant to investigate. Simon's facts pulled me into the descriptions of each animal so deeply that I forgot to be frightened! I'm sure I will find myself repeating many of the facts I learned from this engaging book. Facts such as..."Some sharks can bite three hundred times harder than a human.", and "Roaches can run as fast as three miles an hour."

Another compelling feature of this book is the excellent photographs Simon has included with each animal description. The photographs include the details of some of the animals' "unloveable" features. The pictures help enhance the learning and pull the reader into the descriptions of the highlighted animals.

4. REVIEW EXCERPTS
*From Booklist--"The pictures are fine, large, and in full color, as fascinating as they are repulsive and scary: the yawning jaws of a shark; a hyena consuming bloody food; a wasp enlarged bigger than a human fist, stinging a grasshopper. Simon puts forward some interesting facts and dispels a few myths about these 20 unlovable subjects..."

5. CONNECTIONS
*While the writing accompanying each picture wouldn't provide much information for a report, each description would be a great starting point for a research project for each of the subjects in the book. After sharing the book with students, they could select one animal to investigate/research further, and then share their findings with the class.
*The short informational narratives would be great examples to use with students who are beginning to learn how to read nonfiction.