Module 11: Actual Size

Summary:

Jenkins masterfully displays the actual size of a variety of animals, both large and small, in this book that is packed full of engaging collages and facts about each animal and their size.  

Reference:

Jenkins, S. (2004). Actual size. New York, NY: Houghton Mifflin Company. 

Impressions:

This book is made for the kid in all of us! The collages bring to life just how big some animals truly are. We see that a pygmy shrew is only two inches long and alternatively we see the actual size of a giant squid's eye - all 12 inches of it barely fitting on the page. Kids are sure to marvel at all the animals represented in this book and enjoy learning about them as they unfold pages to see just how big a goliath frog can get!

Professional Review:

A new exploration of the biological world, from one of the current masters of collage, features life-size—not scaled—representations of the extremes of the animal kingdom. Wonderfully textured collages are set against a white background, accompanied by a minimal text gloss about the animals, and their sizes. Some are so huge that only parts can be seen (the one-foot-diameter eye of a giant squid) and others require some squinting (the 1/3-inch dwarf goby). It’s a fascinating subject, and one that will resonate with an audience for whom relative size is a matter of daily interest. Jenkins exploits it for all its worth, including a fold-out of a crocodile’s jaw and a snarling tiger whose face spills off the page. Four concluding pages provide more information about the featured animals, along with reasonably sized, full-body reiterations of the illustrations. Sadly enough, however, in a book that is so intimately concerned with measurement, only English units are used, seemingly ignoring the fact that the metric system is the universal language of science worldwide. A regrettable flaw in an otherwise outstanding offering. (Picture book/nonfiction. 5-12)

[Review of the book Actual size]. (May 2004). Kirkus Reviews. Retrieved from: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/steve-jenkins/actual-size/ 

Library Uses: 

A perfect read aloud for the younger crowd and equally perfect as a jumping off point for older students to gain inspiration for animal inquiry. Students can then be introduced to electronic resources such as National Geographic Kids to learn about other interesting animal facts.