Title: What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?

Author: Steve Jenkins & Robin Page

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston http://www.hmhco.com/

Publication Date: 2003

Genre: Picture Book

Audience: PreK-2

Awards: Caldecott Honor Book

Overview: This picture book introduces different types of animals and how they use different parts of their bodies like their noses, ears, tails, eyes, feet, and mouths. It asks "What would you do with a nose like that?" and then gives examples of different types of animals and how they use their senses. The illustrations are cut out collages and they discribe and show the different types of the body on each animal while giving fun facts about each animal. This book does a really good job of showing with the illustrations exactly what the words are saying which can help students visualize what they are reading.

Activity: After reading this book, as a teacher I would have each student pick a physical feature of an animal and explain what it is and why they would want it. For example, sticky feet like a lizard so they can climb up walls. To take it a step more they could make a self portrait with the new trait and share it to the entire class.

Reviewer's Name: Kalli Parrish