By Guillaume Duprat
Published October 1, 2018
Why we chose this book:
T and I both loved Dinosaurs! and Bugs! from What On Earth Books, so we were thrilled to be able to review this newest publication when the publisher sent us a review copy.
Mom's Review
An engaging look at how different animals' vision functions.
Why weren't these books around when I was a kid? Or a teacher? Eye Spy is an oversized picture book with flaps on most pages. The book is divided by types of animals, and then a different animal is featured on each page. You lift a flap over each creature's eyes to see how they would view a particular scene (it is the same scene for each animal, which makes it super easy to compare animals for even a 3 year old). The text on each page, including on the inside of the flap, gives an overview that interested T, and then goes into more detail about the specifics of each animals' vision and eyes. Because of how the text is set up, it is appropriate to any age. The youngest audience can lift flaps and simply see what the cat or the snake or the bee sees. Older children can use this as a reference on mammal, bird, reptile, or insect senses. The versatility, the ease with which T and I both could use this book, and the information combine to make this a book I loved. It also increases my regard when I learn something new from T's books, and this was filled with new knowledge for me. I particularly liked learning how scientists tested a snake's infrared vision. Spoiler: They offered it a lightbulb, and it attacked it as it would warm-blooded prey. If your kiddo is at all interested in the animal kingdom, then I bet this would be a winner.
I really do suggest this for any age — young kids can do the flaps and listen to an adult read the basic information, while older kids or children interested in more technical details can dive in as deeply as they like. This is a winner and one that will always leave you and your child with new knowledge. And it's one you can pick up and flip through, reading wherever your fancy takes you. I actually got into a little bit of trouble with T. While he was looking under one of the flaps, I started to read silently to myself; I became engrossed so quickly that I didn't even notice he was ready for me to read the text to him! Fascinating enough to make me tune out my son? How's that for a kid's picture book for you?
Son's Review
(Age: 3 and 1/2 years)
Son: Birds!!!! Spread it open!
Mom, whose mind is on a totally different track: I think I like the horse. Do you have a favorite?
Son: This pigeon. Squawk!
Mom: That's actually a woodcock. This other one is the pigeon.
Son: I like the pigeon.
Mom: What do you like about the book? ... Tell me more.
Son: The flaps! ... How you can see what the animal sees.
Mom: And what is the coolest thing you learned?
Son: That the chameleon can look in two directions at once.
Mom: If you could look in two directions at once, where would you look?
Son: I'd look over there [at the door] and into the playroom.
Mom: Is there an animal you wish you could see like?
Son: The chameleon!
Mom: Not the snake?
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