Isn't It Scary?

by Vernon Hamilton

Overview

This picture book follows two African-American children as they learn about the natural habitats of animals, and connect each to the comfort and security of the children’s own home and family.

Travis and Rosa are in a suburban park with their mother when they see a small rabbit disappear into a hole. The kids peer into the hole as far as they can see, and then one child says, “Isn’t it scary?” Mom assures the children that the rabbit is very comfortable and safe in its home.

Isn’t it Scary? follows the family as they encounter several animals in the park. Travis and Rosa see rabbits, squirrels, frogs, fish, deer, birds, and bats. They learn that every creature is adapted and suited to its own special environment.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781480889170
Publisher:	Archway Publishing
Publication date:	07/13/2020
Pages:	40
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 10.80(h) x 0.10(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

Editorial Reviews

2020-08-28
In this debut picture book, a brother and sister learn how all kinds of little ones are kept safe by their parents.

Walking with their mother in a suburban park, young Rosa and Travis notice many young animals, including a baby rabbit, deer, and bat, and imagine each time that the creatures must be frightened. The squirrel, for example, climbs high in a tree, and Rosa asks why: “Isn’t it scary?” Each time, their mother reassures the children that baby animals are well taken care of, and their homes—treetops, burrow, swamp, woods, and so on—are just right, “a very, very nice place.” When Travis later worries about turning off the reading light, Rosa reminds him that their bedroom, too, is a very nice place. In his book, Hamilton provides comforting bedtime reading that meets children’s fears with respect and thoughtfulness while also encouraging awareness about animal habitats. The tale’s predictable repetition both emphasizes the message and is itself reassuring. The uncredited full-page illustrations skillfully portray the dark-skinned family and naturalistic animals and backgrounds in rich shades of brown, gold, and aqua that contribute to the story’s nurturing feel.

A warm hug of a tale that comforts and informs.

Kirkus Reviews