1. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Simon, Seymour. 1992. SNAKES. New York, NY: HarperCollins Children’s Books. ISBN 0439148715.
2. PLOT SUMMARY
There are 2,500 kinds of snakes with only a few hundred being poisonous, and only fifty of the poisonous snakes are dangerous to humans. They exist all over the world; however, they are more prone to warmer climates. Snakes are reptiles. They have a heart, lungs, stomach, and other organs. Their vertebrae make up their backbone, which allow them to easily bend their body. They have as many as 500 vertebrae, whereas people have up to 33. Snakes continue to grow all their lives, faster when younger but a little when they are older too. Snakes swallow their prey whole due to their double hinged jaws. Depending on how big the animal is that it eats, a snake might not need to feed for a day, week, or month. Snakes have inner ears for hearing the vibrations of their prey. Their tongue helps them smell, bringing the smell to their pits which are called Jacobson’s organs. Their color and pattern helps them camouflage. Some snakes lay eggs while others have live birth. Once snakes are born, their parents leave and the snakes are on their own for survival. Most snakes are harmless, but they have defenses. The hognose for example will mimic a rattlesnake, but if a predator continues to attack it will roll over on its back and play dead. Most of the poisonous snakes in the U.S. are vipers. Snakes help keep down rodent populations.
There are 2,500 kinds of snakes with only a few hundred being poisonous, and only fifty of the poisonous snakes are dangerous to humans. They exist all over the world; however, they are more prone to warmer climates. Snakes are reptiles. They have a heart, lungs, stomach, and other organs. Their vertebrae make up their backbone, which allow them to easily bend their body. They have as many as 500 vertebrae, whereas people have up to 33. Snakes continue to grow all their lives, faster when younger but a little when they are older too. Snakes swallow their prey whole due to their double hinged jaws. Depending on how big the animal is that it eats, a snake might not need to feed for a day, week, or month. Snakes have inner ears for hearing the vibrations of their prey. Their tongue helps them smell, bringing the smell to their pits which are called Jacobson’s organs. Their color and pattern helps them camouflage. Some snakes lay eggs while others have live birth. Once snakes are born, their parents leave and the snakes are on their own for survival. Most snakes are harmless, but they have defenses. The hognose for example will mimic a rattlesnake, but if a predator continues to attack it will roll over on its back and play dead. Most of the poisonous snakes in the U.S. are vipers. Snakes help keep down rodent populations.
3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
Seymour Simon’s book on Snakes is a wonderful photo essay! It is clearly very accurate and well researched. Seymour Simon is very well respected. There, however, is only a bibliography for his photos, not for his writing. His point of view is very clear that we as humans do not need to worry about snakes. They will not harm us. He does this without using stereotypes, and he quotes statistics and facts. The organization is very easy to follow with him going from general-to-specific. Text and visual features, or reference aids, are not used other than photographs. Topic sentences are most important in telling what that page will be about, since there are no subheadings. The design is very inviting to children. There is a huge photo that takes up one page every time you turn the pages. There is plenty of white space around the words to help the page not look intimidating and overflowing to the younger reader. The photographs really pull young readers in and also give clues to what that page is going to be about. The style of Seymour Simon is very direct. His voice is easy to hear. The writing is very exciting and encourages more “I Wonder” statements from students. This encourages future research and reading on the topic, which is the desired result.
4. REVIEW EXCERPT(S)
Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL: "Snakes are at their most beguiling in this beautifully photographed, well-organized introduction. The text succinctly describes their general physical and behavioral characteristics, and identifies the four major snake families. Fifteen species are depicted in the large, sharp, full-color photographs that appear on approximately every other page; most close-ups are so finely detailed that individual scales are visible.” Starred review in KIRKUS: "The dramatic cover photo of an orangey-gold boa snaking from a black background will insure that this doesn't sit long on the shelf. Inside, riveting full-page color photos on every spread and the clearly written (if rather difficult) text on life cycle, anatomy, reproduction, classification, movement, diet, and poisonous snakes will also draw an appreciative audience. Another winner from the prolific, reliable Simon.”
5. CONNECTIONS
*It would be great to use in conjunction with a lesson about snakes and adaptations.
5. CONNECTIONS
*It would be great to use in conjunction with a lesson about snakes and adaptations.
Other books about snakes:
Schwartz, Betty Ann, & Wilensky, Alexander. SPLENDID SPOTTED SNAKE. ISBN 0761163603.
Stewart, Melissa. NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC READERS: SNAKES!. ISBN 1426304285.
Gunzi, Christiane. THE BEST BOOK OF SNAKES. ISBN 0753459379.
*It would be great to use in conjunction with an author study.
Other books that are by Seymour Simon:
Simon, Seymour. THE PAPER AIRPLANE BOOK. ISBN 0140309256.
Simon, Seymour. THE MOON. ISBN 0689835639.
Simon, Seymour. TROPICAL RAINFORESTS. ISBN 0061142530.
Simon, Seymour. OUR SOLAR SYSTEM. ISBN 0061140082.
Simon, Seymour. SEYMOUR SIMON’S BOOK OF TRUCKS. ISBN 0064462242.
Simon, Seymour. STORMS. ISBN 0688117085.
Simon, Seymour. SEYMOUR SIMON’S BOOK OF TRAINS. ISBN 0064462235.
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