BIGGEST, STRONGEST, FASTEST by Steve Jenkins

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY

Jenkins, Steve. 1995. BIGGEST, STRONGEST, FASTEST. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0395861365

2.  PLOT SUMMARY

Through this informative book you gain the knowledge of fourteen animals that hold “world records”.  Some of the records include the smallest, largest, slowest, fastest, strongest, best jumper, and many more.  Readers can see the animals size in relation to something they know.  Take a journey into the lives of these fourteen animals! 

3.  CRITICAL ANALYSIS

Jenkins’ writing is simple yet informative.  The facts are just one sentence long for the most part however in the bottom corner of the page further explanation is given.  Not only does he give an explanation but an actual comparison, “It weighs as much as a Ping-Pong ball.” and “It weighs 1/30 of an ounce—less than a dime.”  These explanations and comparisons allow the reader to truly understand the record these animals hold.  The chart located in the back of book allows the reader to see the record, size, diet, and range of the animal at a glance.

Jenkins’ full color paper collage illustrations bring these animals to life.  He is able to capture the different shades of the elephant and the vibrant colors of the hummingbird.  His use of black ink for the comparisons at the bottom of the page, such as the comparison of the human hand to the spider and the electric eel to five light bulbs, allows the reader to visualize the record held by the animal.

4.  REVIEW EXCERPT(S)

*Starred review in BOOKLIST: “The facts are amazing.  Their juxtaposition make you gasp, not just about size and speed but about comparative wonders.”

*Starred review in SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL:  “Large, clear print; fascinating facts; and beautiful, detailed, cut-paper collages make this excellent title a delight.”

*Starred review in Booklist, ALA: “Here’s proof that power isn’t just about size and that science can be a lot of fun.”

*THE HORN BOOK: “A book that will stimulate thought and discussion about animals, art, and comparisons.”

*Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children, National Science Teachers Association—Children’s Book Council

*BOOKLIST Editor’s Choice

5.  CONNECTIONS

* Predictions - Have the students look at the book’s cover, think about the title, then predict what the book will be about.

*Question Strategies - As the teacher reads the book aloud he/she will model what asking question during reading looks like.  For example read to the giraffe page and read “The tallest animal is the giraffe.” the teacher will stop and think aloud “I wonder how tall giraffes are” then he/she will model writing that question on a sticky note and place it on the page.  Next the teacher will continue reading and when the question is answered model writing the answer on the sticky note.  Continue reading the book and model asking and answering your questions.  Have the students practice this strategy at read to self time.

*Become an Animal Expert: Divide the students into groups and have each group choose an animal from the book.  Have the students research facts about their animal and become an animal expert.  Include information such as the animal’s habitat, characteristics, food web, etc.  Students may choose to create a poster, diorama, or a slideshow presentation.  Students will present their findings to the class.