Booby Hatch CL

You don't often find a preschool picture book that is both a gentle read yet firmly rooted in a non-fiction world. Here we follow the circle of life in the Galapagos Islands off the coast of Ecuador. The book begins: On a tiny island in a vast blue sea, in a circle of stones, sits a little white egg. On the next page we meet Pepe, a blue-footed booby. The book unveils his growth, ending with his dancing courtship of Tina and, finallly, the start of a new generation: And soon a little white egg will sit in a circle of stones, on a tiny island, in a vast blue sea. The watercolor illustrations are lush without being cartoonish or garish. The animal colorings - lizards, igauans, sea lions, red crabes, finches and frigate birds and hawks - are accurate. Hopefully, the book will spark an interest in learning more about these animals as it did for my children. We made a trip to the library and searched for more pictures online. In summary, the verse is simple, yet engaging. There are no forced rhymes here and the book doesn't talk down to preschoolers. The cadence reminds me of Mr. Rogers, specifically the segments when he ventured outside his home to visit neighbors and share what they did. While not a classic, this book is a good addition to your collection and, hopefully, might spur your child to interest in a nature magazine like Ranger Rick, Your Big Backyard or Zoobooks.

I wanted this book because I got a toy Blue Footed Booby from one of the animal charities. I always like to have a book about the toy. This book is delightful. I never knew Boobies danced. A must for any child.