Title: Just One BiteAuthor: Lola Schaefer
Illustrator: Geoff Waring
Publication Info: Chronicle Books, 2010
Intended audience: Preschool and up
Genre: nonfiction, picture book (32 pages)
Themes/topics: nature, animals, science
Opening and synopsis: ”With just one scoop, a worm can eat… –> . this much dirt (and everything in it)!”
Schaefer and Warning reveal how much nectar a butterfly sips and how much bamboo an elephant bites. They rely upon simple sentences and vivid visuals to show how much 11 animals consume in only one bite. Backmatter includes more detailed discussions of 12 creatures and their eating habits. For example, reticulated giraffes use their sticky saliva to coat thorns making them easier to chew. Komodo dragons can eat up to five pounds of food every minute. That’s a lot of meat!
Resources/activities: This book is a great excuse for a trip to the zoo. Our zoo features komodo dragons; after reading about their insatiable appetites, I was ready to take a peek at them again. If you can’t make it to the zoo, check out National Geographic’s Kids site for more information about animals and their appetites. Finally, the National Science Teachers Association, which selected the book as an Outstanding Science Trade Book, recommends a scaling activity found….here.
Why I like this book: This book is a cross between two of my favorite Steve Jenkins books, Actual Size and Time to Eat. Children find animals fascinating, and this book spurs discussion about animals and their environments.
Every Friday bloggers review “Perfect Picture Books.” Find a complete list of book reviews organized by topic, genre and blogger at author Susanna Leonard Hill’s site.
Kirsten W. Larson 
I love this sort of non-fiction and it sounds appropriate for even very young kids! Gosh those hungry little Komodo Dragons!
They are so huge, it’s no wonder they have to eat so much. I need to get to the new reptile house at the LA Zoo. It just opened.
Sounds fascinating! It is always fun to go more in-depth in learning about the animals our kids love. Clever concept.
Kirsten, a very cool book to teach kids about animals and their eating habits. Very creative. Yes, agree a trip to the zoo would be a good activity for this book. (I don’t like reptiles – ugh!) Thanks for sharing it today on PPB Friday. Great addition to our growing selection.
Thanks Patricia. We have a new reptile house at our zoo, so I think we’ll be visiting them quite a bit in the near future.
Oh, thanks for sharing! I LOVE Steve Jenkins and this sounds wonderful!
I think Steve Wild is one of the best nonfiction picture book writers when it comes to animal topics. Oh, and one of the best illustrators ever!
This book sounds great, Kirsten! I love books that find a unique aspect of animal life and focus in and compare – kids (and adults!) can learn so much! I love that you find all these great non-fiction books to add to our list eery week! i don’t know about other people’s families, but my boys always loved non-fiction, so I love having so many great books to choose from on our list!
We read a lot of nonfiction too. I come up with a lot of these book from research I’m doing on various topics. Sometimes I see them when I’m researching publishers. It’s fun to find such gems.
This sounds so interesting. I am definitely going to find it and read it! Thanks for the review.
It is a wonderful example of how simple PB nonfiction can be, yet captivating at the same time.
I want to read this book. It sounds like it explains animals eating habits in a way that children can understand. I was surprised to read that a Komodo Dragon can eat 5 lbs. of meat in a minute. When I worked at a zoo, the keepers would lure the Komodo Dragon off exhibit at night with mice (dead ones!). They would used this long, extendable pole with a mouse on the end. Once the Komodo would see the mouse, they would drop it on the ground near the exhibit door. Then, they would have another mouse ready on the pole just inside the door that would help get the Komodo into her holding area. I will never forget watching that — it was fascinating.
Eric, is there anything you haven’t done? Seriously? Thanks for sharing that snippet about Komodos at the zoo.
Kirsten,
I found the book at the library. I loved the large size! The kids enjoyed it. Thanks for recommending it
Glad you enjoyed it. And happy birthday again!
You always feature such great books, Kirsten! Who knew science could be such fun? (You did, obviously.)
This book sounds fascinating. Thank you!
I turned this one up while researching a 12 x 12 MS. That research helped me find several interesting books. This one was a favorite though.
Would I love to see the illustration of the Komodo dragon! 🙂 This sounds like a delightful picture book. Thanks, Kirsten for sharing.
You’re welcome Myra. I really recommend it for all ages.
Five pounds of food a minute! WOW! Cool pick! I love books that make learning interesting 🙂
I’m sure you have some great zoos in your town. You might just find a Komodo!
What interesting facts! I’ll have to find that one for my kids. Thanks!
It’ also a cool book because it is HUGE. It’s not the standard PB size. It makes it very special.
I love books like this. It’s always so exciting to learn new animal facts.
Barbara
Grade ONEderful
I think your Grade ONEderful kids would enjoy it. It definitely has the “cool” factor.
It’s so cool to learn new facts like this about animals, and I’ll take any excuse to go to the zoo. I love that place! Great choice.
A2ZMommy and What’s In Between
I find the diversity of animals to be fascinating too. It’s amazing how different each creature can be.
Hi Kirsten,
Great choice…love books about animals…and so do kids. 🙂 My children always looked forward to trips to the zoo or aquarium…I recently went to a butterfly pavillion…what an amazing experience. I know there are liability issues…but school classes should do outings to places like these more often…so much is learned with hands-on experiences. 🙂
Our natural history museum has a butterfly garden, and I’m hoping to take the boys this year. We are currently growing our own painted ladies at home.
What a great book. Kids love books like these. I love the opening. That alone made me want this book! Super choice! (I’m catching up from being sick last week)
I hope you are feeling better. PPBF is always my favorite day of the week. I normally put 10-20 books on hold at the library based on everybody’s recommendations.