Just You and Me

August 1, 2021
Nature's symbiotic relationships are outlined in a poetic text featuring some unlikely animal and plant partnerships. As an introduction, an adult and child (the former White, the latter with olive skin and black hair) plant a garden together. "Just you and me. / Just me and you. / We're perfect pairs! / Here's what we do...." An explanation of the term symbiosis is then provided, which leads into the various natural collaborations presented. Interestingly, the majority of the natural partnerships are those casual readers might consider improbable on the face of it. A Nile crocodile hosts an Egyptian plover (also known as the crocodile bird) in its mouth to help clean its teeth of food scraps, which become the bird's meal. Zebras and ostriches herd together and rely on one another's senses to warn of danger. More-well-known and perhaps obvious duos are included, such as the bee helping the flower spread its pollen or a sloth relying on the green algae that grows on its back to camouflage itself against predators within the greenery of the trees. Each team is allotted a double-page spread and introduced with a rhyming verse: "I wear your green among the trees. / You hide me well so no one sees / a hanging sloth that moves quite slow, / as predators lurk far below." This is followed by a detailed explanation in a smaller font: "Algae make their home on sloth fur, turning it green in the process." The crisp, unambiguous artwork reinforces the learning and understanding of these incredible partnerships that thrive in the natural world. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A fascinating view of interdependency. (sources) (Informational picture book. 5-10)

COPYRIGHT(2021) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Starred review from September 1, 2021

PreS-Gr 2-All around the world, animals on land, sea, and everywhere in-between have developed symbiotic relationships that enhance their quality of life and their ultimate survival. On the savannah, oxpeckers perch on the backs of rhinoceroses, cleaning them by eating the ticks that would otherwise reside there. Beneath the sea, goby fish alert their pistol shrimp companions to impending danger. In the forest, green algae clings to the slow-moving sloth to provide camouflage and protection from predators below. This rhyming picture book introduces young readers to the many and often surprising ways animals have learned to coexist. Using rhyming couplets that are almost entirely balanced in meter, the narrative is accessible to children, especially in a read-aloud setting. While the rhyming text incorporates facts, there is a second paragraph included on every page that goes into more detail about the featured animals. This design allows readers to experience the book either as a narrative on its own or in more detail depending on the audience. Digitally rendered illustrations showcase the habitats of the many animals in the book through color, clean lines, and geometric shapes. These detailed images connect readers to the natural world in a playful and engaging way. Though there is an absence of traditional nonfiction back matter, a list of sources is included to provide context for the information within the book. VERDICT This accessible story is an enjoyable means of introducing young children to both conservation and creature interactions within the global community.-Mary Lanni, formerly at Denver P.L.

Copyright 2021 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.