By Stan Tekiela
Published October 9, 2018
Why we chose this book:
T has been increasingly interested in seek-and-find pictures, and we have been seeking our own "hidden critters" out the back window: deer, turkeys, porcupines...So when we saw this, and saw the author, we were interested. Adventure Publications provided a review copy.
Other books we've enjoyed by Stan Tekiela are Super Animal Powers, What Eats That?, and Whose Baby Butt?
Mom's Review
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| We've been playing our own "Hidden Critters: Can You Find Them?" game out the back window. See the buck peeking out from behind the tree? |
Nature photographs show a habitat in which an animal is hidden. The reader is given a few hints about the animal's identity and then invited to find it; the following page introduces the animal through closeup photographs and informational text, the content and length of which is ideal for younger children (4 to 8 or so). Back matter elaborates on each animal, for older children and other interested parties (like me). Coolest thing I learned? Polar bears' fur is clear; it only appears white!
I really am becoming quite enamored with the wildlife books offered by Adventure Publications, and Hidden Critters strengthens that opinion. A comfortable balance between familiar and lesser known animals is presented; T excitedly shouted, "There's the deer!" before I could even read the hints on that page, and he was also curious to learn about the animals he didn't recognize, like the weasel. I have a feeling there will be more weasel books in our future. We also both liked that this seek-and-find presented real environments where we might actually see the animals (see photo above, for example). We've been keeping our eyes open for animals in the yard, so Hidden Critters is good practice for us! Furthermore, the information provided is engaging for both of us; we both have a better understanding of some of the animals living near us, as well as those distant. Between the two of us, the favorite animals include the bullfrog, the weasel, the polar bear, the deer, and the flying squirrel. T told me that he wishes he could fly like a flying squirrel, and I hadn't realized that they were nocturnal. We also were really interested in how the praying mantis hunts, and now we want to read more about what eats bullfrogs. All in all, we both learned, had fun, and are inspired to investigate nature further!
If your kiddo likes seek-and-finds or animals, then I would highly recommend Hidden Critters. It is so much more than just spotting an object in a picture!
Son's Review
(Age: almost 4)
T's new LEGO dinosaur sat with us to read. As soon as we closed the book, this exchange ensued:
Son: When he hunts he's fierce and quick. And he blends in really nicely with leaves. Who am I? And he roars a terrible roar. RRRRROARRRR!
Mom: T. Rex!
Son: You got it right!
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Mom: I liked that it's real animals and it shows them where they really hide. I might see animals when I look out in the woods. My favorite page is the deer because we sometimes see deer, and this buck reminds me of the one we see in our yard. Do you like the book?
Son: Pretty yes.
Mom: What do you like?
Son: I like finding all the things since it was pretty super duper hard.
(He did find some animals almost immediately, which belies this assessment.)
Mom: Did you have a favorite animal that you had to find?
Son: Um, I'll show you. It's...I'm flipping through pages...This! [polar bear]
Mom: What did you like about the polar bear?
Son: It was cold.
Mom: I also liked that I got to learn things I didn't know about the animals. Did you have a favorite thing you learned?
Son: I liked that the polar goes out and it likes to eat when it is cold.
Mom: The weasel was my favorite animal. I'd like to see one. Would you want to see any of these animals in real life?
Son, flipping pages: Yes. I would want to see this one [the weasel] and I wanted to see this [the flying squirrel]. These things are cute! That's my favorite thing. It didn't seem regular so I liked it.
Mom: What do you mean that it doesn't seem regular?
Son: It didn't seem regular because it's called a flying squirrel but it doesn't really actually fly. What eats a flying squirrel?
Mom: Probably anything that can. I would guess owls. Could you tell me what you liked the best about this book?
(I checked, and they do have lots of predators.)
Son: That the book told us all about the animals. I liked the flying squirrels. They are super duper cute. They just are.
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