Actual Size is an informational book that shows the actual sizes of animals and insects or the features of animals and insects. It provides physical descriptions (specific measurements) as well as interesting facts about each animal. Some of the pages display the entire animal at its actual size (like the atlas moth), and some of the pages show a part of the animal at actual size (like the giant squid's eye). The saltwater crocodile's head and the Goliath frog take up three pages (the pages fold out). The collage-like illustrations fill up each page. There's an animal index at the back that gives more detailed facts about each animal in the book (habitats, prey, interesting facts, etc).
APA Reference of Book:
Jenkins, S. (2009). Actual size. Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin
Harcourt Publishing Company
Impressions:
I really enjoyed this informational book! I first chose to read it because its cover page caught my attention. The cover has the actual size of a gorilla's hand. The illustrations are beautiful, done in paper cut outs and collage-like.
It's really interesting to see how the animals and insects compare to one another, from tiny animals like the pygmy shrew to huge animals like the Alaskan brown bear. I was blown away by facts I've never heard before. For example, it would take 7,000 dwarf gobies to weigh only one ounce, and a giant squid can measure 59 1/2 feet long! I also liked how the book started out with questions to persuade readers to read the book, like, "Have you shaken hands with a gorilla or been face to face with a tiger?"
I was impressed with the many facts in the index of the book, but I think I would've liked it better if more facts were actually included on the pages of the book. In my experience with reading to children, the book would better keep their attention if not so much information was in the back of the book, but spread out throughout the pages instead.
I think children of all ages would enjoy this book (and adults too)! They could use this book for research or read it just for fun.
Professional Review:
"Jenkins's signature cut-paper collages are once again amazing in this oversize book in which life-size illustrations of eighteen creatures (or parts of them) invite reader participation. A nearly twelve-inch-long gorilla hand entices readers to see how their own hands measure up; the foot-across Goliath birdeater tarantula will inspire a similar reach. Included are creatures great and small: a dwarf goby fish barely registers on the page, while the Alaskan brown bear's head overflows a double-page spread. The relative sixes are accentuated by the white backdrop and are grounded by the straightforward information that accompanies the creatures - one or two brief sentences followed by the animal's height/length and weight - as they parade across the expansive pages. For dramatic appeal, a single-page foldout unveils itself halfway through the lesson in size: on one side an imposing saltwater crocodile's snout proudly displays a full mouth of teeth, while on the other side the greater part of a Goliath frog is shown in mid-leap. Additional information about each creature is included at the back, along with a complete picture of each animal, helpful in those cases where only part of an animal fits on a page.
Raece, L. E. (2004). Actual size book review [Review of the
book Actual Size, by S. Jenkins]. Horn Book Magazine, 80(3),
p. 345. Retrieved from https://libproxy.library.unt.edu:9443/
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Library Uses:
Children could watch a video on how Steve Jenkins illustrates and brings the animals to life (youtube.com/watch?v=hhJ1wtHSPc4). Then, they could research their own animals and create their own illustrations.
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