NONFICTION

Small Matters: The Hidden Power of the Unseen

by Heather Ferranti Kinser
Millbrook. Apr. 2020. 32p. Tr $27.99. ISBN 9781541578142.
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Gr 2-5–Readers are invited to zoom in on the anatomical parts of 11 different creatures, from sea snail teeth to gecko toes. On each spread, the verso shows a large photograph of the animal being discussed. The recto offers a close-up. A fuzzy honeybee is depicted exploring a flower, and then the hairs on its eyes are magnified to wondrous results, using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). A cat licks itself, and its tongue is shown covered in curvy spines. Facts are brought up concisely; very few sentences are used throughout the book. The beautiful photographs add reader appeal. The SEM is fully explained, as is the term nanoscale. Animal components such as shark skin, butterfly wings, toucan beaks, and water strider legs are further explained after the main text.
VERDICT An engaging look at microscopic parts of familiar animals. Recommended.
Reviewed by Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI , Apr 01, 2020

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