There’s no argument that Gabrielle Balkan is a master of nonfiction for kids. It takes a special writer to not only get the job done but craft an engaging and captivating book that keeps kids turning the pages with rapt attention. Here’s yet another superb book she just put out into the world along with illustrator Sam Brewster—Book of Bones.
Book of Bones is fascinating. It presents sets of clues to ten different notable and record-breaking animal bones—the thinnest, fastest-growing, spikiest and heaviest, to name a few. After readers guess the creature to whom the bone belongs, they turn the page and see the animal in their natural habitat and get to learn about its behaviors and the special functions of its bones. A great feature of the pages of the book—the skeletal structure in each animal has a special texture that's palpable and makes it stand out (sort of like the reader has x-ray vision). Can you guess which cold-blooded animal has more than a thousand bones in its body? A thoughtfully written and standout piece of nonfiction, the kind we've come to expect from Gabrielle. Sam Brewster did an amazing job with the illustrations and we're looking forward to seeing more of their collaborations in the future.
Book of Bones: 10 Record-Breaking Animals was written by Gabrielle Balkan, illustrated by Sam Brewster and published by Phaidon.