{"id":28484,"date":"2015-10-26T22:39:15","date_gmt":"2015-10-27T02:39:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=28484"},"modified":"2015-10-26T22:39:15","modified_gmt":"2015-10-27T02:39:15","slug":"review-of-how-to-swallow-a-pig-by-steve-jenkins-and-robin-page","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sonderbooks.com\/blog\/?p=28484","title":{"rendered":"Review of How to Swallow a Pig, by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"how_to_swallow_a_pig_large\"<\/a>How to Swallow a Pig<\/p>\n

Step-by-Step Advice from the Animal Kingdom<\/em><\/p>\n

by Steve Jenkins & Robin Page<\/p>\n

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, 2015. 32 pages.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s another amazing children\u2019s science book by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page. Again it\u2019s illustrated with Steve Jenkins\u2019 incredibly realistic cut-paper illustrations, which look so life-like.<\/p>\n

This book encourages curiosity. There\u2019s a lot of information on each page, with clear illustrations that draw the eye.<\/p>\n

The gimmick for this book is the How-to format. The authors cover how animals do various unusual things, but told as a How-to book. Some of the steps won\u2019t be easy for a kid to carry out!<\/p>\n

For example, in Step 2 of \u201cHow to Build a Nest Like a Wasp,\u201d \u201cYou\u2019ll need to find a source of wood, such as an old log or unpainted fence. To make paper pulp, bite off a small piece of wood and chew it thoroughly, mixing it with your saliva.\u201d And in Step 5 of the title piece, \u201cHow to Swallow a Pig Like a Python,\u201d you\u2019ll need to \u201cunhinge your jaw (this takes practice). Starting with the head, begin to work the pig down your throat.\u201d<\/p>\n

Besides these, the other tasks the authors demonstrate and give step-by-step directions for include:
\n\u201cHow to Trap Fish Like a Humpback Whale\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Sew Like a Tailorbird\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Repel Insects Like a Capuchin\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Woo a Ewe Like a Mountain Sheep\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Crack a Nut Like a Crow\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Build a Dam Like a Beaver\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Disguise Yourself Like an Octopus\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Hunt Like a Reddish Egret\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Build a Nest Like a Wasp\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Spin a Web Like a Spider\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Decorate Like a Bowerbird\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Warn of Danger Like a Vervet Monkey\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Farm Like a Leaf-Cutter Ant\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Catch a Meal Like a Crocodile\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Defend Yourself Like an Armadillo\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Catch an Insect Like an Ant Lion\u201d
\n\u201cHow to Dance Like a Grebe\u201d<\/p>\n

All of these activities are given with fairly simple (but sometimes impossible for humans) numbered steps and eye-catching illustrations.<\/p>\n

There are more details at the back about all the featured animals.<\/p>\n

I think my favorite feature is \u201cHow to Crack a Nut Like a Crow,\u201d because crows have clearly adapted their methods.<\/p>\n

Crows are intelligent birds, and they have learned to crack nuts by carrying them into the air and dropping them on rocks or pavement. But, some nuts are too tough, and even this treatment won\u2019t break them open. In some places, crows have found a solution.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s probably best not to try this technique until you learn how to fly.<\/p>\n

1)\t Find a nut.
\nA walnut or other tough-shelled nut is a good choice.
\n2)\t Select your perch.
\nFind a spot near a traffic signal above a busy road.
\n3)\t Drop your nut.
\nChoose a place where the nut will get run over by a car or truck.
\n4)\t Wait for the light to change.
\nDon\u2019t try to collect the pieces of your smashed snack until the light has changed and traffic has stopped.
\n5)\t Enjoy!
\nNow you can swoop down, eat your nut, and take off before the light changes again.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

All the above is contained on one page, with an illustration for each step and a large picture in the middle. So it\u2019s a nice nonthreatening mix of words and pictures.<\/p>\n

Curious kids will get a kick out of imagining how it would be if they could carry out these directions. <\/p>\n

stevejenkinsbooks.com<\/a>
\nhmhco.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Buy from Amazon.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Find this review on Sonderbooks<\/a> at: www.sonderbooks.com\/Childrens_Nonfiction\/how_to_swallow_a_pig.html<\/a><\/p>\n

Disclosure: I am an Amazon Affiliate, and will earn a small percentage if you order a book on Amazon after clicking through from my site.<\/p>\n

Source: This review is based on a library book from Fairfax County Public Library.<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: I am a professional librarian, but I maintain my website and blogs on my own time. The views expressed are solely my own, and in no way represent the official views of my employer or of any committee or group of which I am part.<\/p>\n

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