Reviews

The Most Dangerous


School Library Journal - July 2012

PreS-Gr 2–A contest to determine the most dangerous creature is the premise of Fields’s book, complete with nervous judges and a cast of animals best avoided. They reside on land, in the sea, and in the air, and each offers one or more facts to prove its fearsomeness. From box jelly to venomous snake, toothsome shark to stealthy crocodile, even the clownish porcupine fish and oversize cassowary audition for the prize. Being responsible for the most sickness and death earns the ubiquitous mosquito the trophy. While the facts are sparse and the text simplistic, the photo-realistic illustrations show the animal in its habitat and in a close-up, aggressive pose. With a blend of traditional painting and digital media, Jacques’s half- or full-spread images are satisfying for their detail and drama. Featuring many of the same animals, Steven Jenkins’s Never Smile at a Monkey (Houghton Harcourt, 2009), with his signature paper-collage images and alliterative text, is distinctive bookmaking offering a more scientific overview, poetic cadence, and specific warnings. In Fields’s book, the animals are personified, stating their own case and thereby causing the judges to cower and tremble. Much smaller images and text on four additional pages offer learning activities with additional interactive quizzes and teaching activities to become available via the publisher’s website. With animals a perennial favorite and a cover featuring the gaping mouths of a shark, snake, and crocodile, this contest is likely to lure the most reluctant readers.
- Janet S. Thompson, Chicago Public Library

Learning Table Reviews - January 2013

The results are surprising, and kids will never guess who takes home the trophy.  Readers will learn about predators and prey, poison, defense, horns, and tusks.  The book also includes a "For Creative Minds" section with activities about animal adaptations, geography, and a creative-expression project where kids design their own animals.

Classic Children's Books - November 2012

I was a little concerned about this book when I read it through the first time. Sierra tends to get scared of things that aren't familiar (like giant fake spiders on the wall at Mangelson's for Halloween decorations - we had to leave the store). I decided though to go ahead and read it and see how she reacted during the telling of the story. Connor loved the book of course and I think he helped her feel more secure listening to it since he didn't seem scared. The story is about several animals & reptiles from around the world ~ they're dangerous and bad ~ and they know it. During a contest for The Most Dangerous Creature on Earth and in the Sea they brag and tell why they are The Most Dangerous and during the telling you can see the judging panel get more afraid through their facial expressions and reactions to each. When it looks like there are no other contenders one more creature - the smallest the eye can see (at least at this event) - comes forward.

So Cal City Kids-January 2013

My son and I enjoyed reading this one and learned a thing or two. We were surprised to see which animal is the deadliest of all!  This is great for ages 4-9. My 9 year-old son was surprised about the winner of the contest!

2nd Grade Reading - January 2013

Any second-grade teacher would love to have this book in his or her classroom library. Along with the lively and easy to comprehend writing and the interesting science lessons, the book includes extra resources that add to its value. Readers will discover four pages of learning activities at the back of the book, including a map activity, animal facts, and a project to design your own deadly creature. There is also a link to more online content that will aid teachers in creating reading and writing activities. The Most Dangerous is a great book for reading aloud to a class or for independent readers and is an excellent way to introduce the concept of animal diversity to a second-grade class. And the ending will surprise and delight young readers and make them think!

The Friendly Book Nook - September 2012

My class and I enjoyed this book.  Of course, second graders love dangerous and large animals, so this book was an automatic winner because of the title and subject matter.  They were totally engaged throughout the whole reading.  We especially loved the surprise ending.  The illustrations were awesome.  I love books that teach factual information in a fun and interesting way.  This books delivers on that as well.  Arbordale always has other teaching resources online which look great but are a little advanced for my particular group of  second graders, but this book is a great read aloud!

Home School Book Review - December 2012

Most of us will never see many of these animals, except in zoos or aquariums, but it’s still fun to read and learn about them. Through author Terri Fields’s descriptive text and illustrator Laura Jacques’s full-page, life-like pictures, children will become acquainted with some of the ways that out in the wild predators kill for food and prey defend themselves. The four pages of learning activities in the back include information on adaptations, finding the animals on a map, and a hands-on exercise of designing an animal, and there are more free educational activities at the publisher’s website with interactive quizzes and related websites.

Butterfly Wishes and Wonderland Dreams - December 2012

This one is just made for boys! Girls enjoy it too but boys will eat up this book! My nephew loves all the creatures in this book and this would be a great book for that reluctant reader to get them excited about reading!

Karen Cioffi of Writing and Marketing - October 2012

read this wonderful picture book to my grandsons and the six-year-old loved it. The three-year-old was a bit afraid, as the illustrator, Laura Jacques, did an amazing job of creating some fearsome looking creatures, as you can see from the cover.

The Most Dangerous is an informative and engaging fiction picture book with an ending that surprised my grandsons, and me! It geared toward ages 4-9 and I highly recommend it.

Tif Talks Books - October 2012

"When Fields' book first arrived in our house, my son was instantly drawn to the story thanks to the eye-popping cover.  As he initially flipped through the pages, he became transfixed with each of the amazing realistic pictures drawn by Laura Jacques.  And, when we read the story together, he became a all-around fan of The Most Dangerous.  The book disappeared into his room for many more reads before I finally got my hands back on it.  As a young boy, what more could he ask for in a book -- creepy, crawly, brutish beings competing against each other?!?

As a parent, I see much more than just a tale of real beasts of epic proportions.  I see facts shared in interesting ways.  I see critical thinking skills being demonstrated.  And, I see a multitude of ways to learn beyond the book through the activities found both at the end of the story and online, keeping the kids coming back for more both inside and outside the pages. What more could a parent ask for?!?"

Books and Needlepoint - October 2012

What kid doesn't like scary looking animals? (in the pages of a book, of course!)   This book is full of them.  As well as interesting facts about each one of them.  From the great white shark, to the Brazilian wandering spider to - hold on to your hats - the mosquito! (Okay, you laugh, but who doesn't cover themselves in bug spray, swat the little buggers and do what they can not to get bit?!)  Well, in addition to the facts there is also a cute story about all of the animals gathering together to see who will be declared "The Most Dangerous".  There are great illustrations as well.  In the back of the book is a section that gives some more information on how some animals kill their prey and whether or not they are prey or predator.  You also get a world map that shows where the animals discussed in the book live.

Outnumbered 3 to 1 - October 2012

This book was by far my oldest daughter's favorite book out of these new releases. She just loves talking about big scary animals. She has me read this one over and over all the time. What a great book for kids that like dangerous animals including the one that is the most dangerous, it might even be a surprise for some parents when they read it.

Heck of a Bunch - October 2012

Filled with illustrations of terrifying animals, The Most Dangerous revolves around a contest where dangerous animals vie to win a trophy.  The animals explain why they're dangerous and why they should win to the judges.  You'd be surprised at who is the most dangerous of all!  In the Creative Minds section of the book is educational material on dangerous adaptations, how animals use adaptations, and a map that lets readers know where dangerous animals live around the world.

Feathered Quill Book Reviews - October 2012

This story brought me back to many years ago when I would read bedtime stories to my daughters. I believe children are a very difficult audience to write for. Their imaginations are vivid and vast, but their insistence toward believability is where they invariably refuse to give an inch. Ms. Fields has done a just job in accomplishing a believable and educational tale for her target audience.

A Year of Jubilee Reviews - May 2013

This is a book for my boys! They love anything with big teeth. Arbordale offers much more than just a book to read. I love how they have learning activities at the end of the book like how animals use adaptations, where do the animals live throughout the world, and a design your own animal activity.