Actual Size

Written by Steve Jenkins
Picture Book Ages 5-10
Rating: 4/5

A great non-fiction book that includes illustrations of different animals that are drawn to scale their actual size.

Opinion: This book is really interactive and is great information for kids. I like that even though it is nonfiction it is still really interesting. It has pictures done in an Eric-Carle-collage sort of way, but they take up two pages, some of them even having fold outs to show the actual size of whatever animal is being talked about. This includes a Goliath frog, a giant squid's eye, a gorilla's hand, and a giant anteater's tongue. It also gives the exact measurements and stats of the animal that is on each page, which incorporates knowledge into all the fun!

Curriculum Connection: Kids will really enjoy this no matter when it is read. Because the pictures are actual size, they will feel really engaged and a part of the book. This could be in a math unit on measurements, a unit on exotic animals or exceptionally large animals, or a project where the children find things around their house and trace it to their "actual size" and then come together to make a class booklet.