Supermoms!: Animal Heroes

by Heather Lang, Jamie Harper, Jamie Harper (Illustrator)

Overview

In comics-style panels full of facts and humor, this lively picture book investigates the amazing lengths animal mothers go to in caring for their young.

An emperor penguin mom treks up to fifty miles to bring food to her hungry chick. A toothy American alligator carefully carries hatchlings in her mouth, shuttling them safely to the water. A piping plover uses her best acting skills to feign an injury, luring predators away from her offspring. Whether building elaborate burrows, forgoing food for months on end to feed their cubs, toting hundreds of spiderlings on their backs, conducting patient swimming lessons, or fearlessly kicking away hyenas, mothers in the animal kingdom—whatever their species—give it their all (and then some!) to keep their little ones safe, fed, and ready to face the world on their own. This first book in a young series on animal science includes in its back matter a look at the “super” qualities of some of the animals and offers a collection of resources for budding naturalists.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781536217971
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	03/07/2023
Series:	Animal Heroes , #1
Pages:	40
Sales rank:	1,021,582
Product dimensions:	11.44(w) x 10.38(h) x 0.40(d)
Age Range:	3 - 7 Years

About the Author

Heather Lang is the author of The Leaf Detective: How Margaret Lowman Uncovered Secrets in the Rainforest and Swimming with Sharks: The Daring Discoveries of Eugenie Clark, among other books. She lives in Massachusetts.

Jamie Harper is the author-illustrator of four books about the feisty flamingo teacher Miss Mingo as well as the Baby Bundt board books and the picture books Miles to Go and Miles to the Finish. She lives outside Boston.

Editorial Reviews

05/08/2023

A groundhog, strawberry poison frog, emperor penguin, and bearded capuchin monkey are just a few of the “supermoms” featured in this fact-filled, comics-style ode to real-life parental “heroes.” Informative text and humorous speech-bubble asides spotlight the impressive and surprising work that different maternal species do to support their young—providing food, homes, protection, transport, and valuable instruction. Harper’s textured digital and traditional collages, presented in panels throughout, portray the wildlife with big personalities. Two red-knobbed hornbill chicks hold and fan their beaks, gagging from the stench of the mud-and-poop seal their mom creates in their nest’s entrance. And a baby American alligator asks, “Ma, are you flossing?” as it crawls from its mom’s jaws, having ridden inside her mouth for transport. Most of the creatures’ efforts have a true wow factor that, combined with comedic commentary throughout, results in a super silly tribute to supermoms. Facts and further resources conclude. Ages 3–7. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

This lively riff on superheroes, the first in a projected new series of science books, explores the mothering habits of 18 different animal species. . . . For youngsters who like learning about the animal kingdom, this work offers a pleasing variety. . . . For Mother’s Day or any day, an appealing take on animal factoids.
—Kirkus Reviews

Lang introduces animal mothers who go above and beyond in raising their progeny. . . Speech balloons permit these cheeky children and moms to remark about the scenes depicted, and formal text is kept minimal, allowing the colorful art and humorous commentary to take center stage.
—Booklist

Informative text and humorous speech-bubble asides spotlight the impressive and surprising work that different maternal species do to support their young—providing food, homes, protection, transport, and valuable instruction. . . . Most of the creatures’ efforts have a true wow factor that, combined with comedic commentary throughout, results in a super silly tribute to supermoms.
—Publishers Weekly

The first book in the new “Animal Heroes” series, this title features amazing animal mothers. . . . Highly browsable and entertaining nonfiction.
—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

06/23/2023

PreS-Gr 2—The first book in the new "Animal Heroes" series, this title features amazing animal mothers. Each mom featured does something unique to care for their young. Some of the examples will especially delight young audiences as they feature extreme or what some might consider gross behaviors. For example, the red-knobbed hornbill mom seals her nest with mud and poop and stays inside with her young for three months. The strawberry poison frog separates her tadpoles so they won't kill each other. Illustrations using multiple panels per animal capture the supermoms and their young in action. Back matter adds more, albeit minimal, facts to the portrayals of these amazing animal mothers. Links to further resources as well as to the research process used in the making of this book are included. While the text does not include enough information for research, this title would be a useful introduction to a wide variety of animals as well as to the diversity of behaviors that can be found in the animal kingdom in relation to how animals care for their young. VERDICT Highly browsable and entertaining nonfiction.—John Scott

School Library Journal

2022-11-16
Mothers in the animal kingdom have surprising superpowers.

This lively riff on superheroes, the first in a projected new series of science books, explores the mothering habits of 18 different animal species. These animal supermoms have been loosely grouped into categories. Some, like groundhogs, make good homes for their offspring. Others, like alligators and wolf spiders, carry them in surprising ways. Some, like the giant Pacific octopus, are superprotective. And animals like river otters and bottlenose dolphins teach their little ones important skills. Each species is introduced in a panel or series of panels, with cartoon illustrations of the family in its habitat and a line of text describing the mother’s behavior. (“A giraffe mom kicks to protect her calf.”) Speech bubbles carry imagined commentary, mostly from the youngsters. (“Take that!” says an impressed giraffe calf as Mom fends off some predatory hyenas.) A final spread identifies each mother by name and superpower (“super determined” penguin, “super sneaky” piping plover, “super caring” orangutan). Using speech bubbles again, each mother describes where she lives and what she eats and offers a surprising fact. For youngsters who like learning about the animal kingdom, this work offers a pleasing variety. A page of backmatter provides extensive options—books, videos, and websites—for further exploration, and the authors promise further resources in their own websites. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

For Mother’s Day or any day, an appealing take on animal factoids. (Informational picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews