Actual Size by Steve Jenkins

1. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Jenkins, Steve. 2004. Actual Size. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0547512910

2. PLOT SUMMARY
This book is geared for grade 2 but will attract children of all ages. Many animals displayed in this book give the actual size with some facts, weight and length. Many children are not fortunate to see actual sizes of several of the animals displayed in this book in a zoo. Thanks to Jenkins he shows wonderful collage illustrations and children will compare themselves in size to the animals displayed. Jenkins displays a shark’s mouth over two pages with its serrated teeth. Many children will not understand what serrated means but when shown their comprehension will build. One interesting layout that Jenkins shows is when he compares two different animals in size and weight. A way to grab the attention of children is to show a fascinating animal visual on the front cover the book . Here the author grabs the readers attention by showing  a contrasting picture of two animals on the cover page. Some animals are small for the page depicting the size such as the pigmy shrew or the dwarf goby. The author goes to extremes in sizes to show a larger than life world, its beauty and an appreciation for all living things.

3. CRITICAL ANALYSIS
When reading children’s nonfiction about animals I think about all the literary elements. This book speaks to children in the lower grades. Each page displays a life size of an animal described and at times part of the animal. Jenkins uses collage to bring out the extraordinary illustrations of each animal. Children will be absorbed in each page not only with the illustrated collages but also with the detailed information on each of the represented animals. Children at the lower grades cannot fully  picture the true size of certain animals but Jenkins illustrates many up to scale. Powerful vocabulary is important to children, here we see the word “serrated”. Just by reading that sharks have serrated teeth one does not need to explain what it means. Therefore giving children a sense of seeing the actual animal in real life. The fold out page of the crocodile and the frog give children a concrete picture of both. Graphics are very appealing to a child’s eye and will wow at each page. This non-fiction book is simple yet powerful to children of all ages.

4. AWARDS, HONORS
 
 Books of the Year Winner 2004 Ages 2 to 4 United States

 Editors' Choice Top of the List Winner 2004 Youth Nonfiction United States
 
 Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children Honor Book 2005 United States

5. CONNECTIONS
*Children will write about which animal they liked best in the book and illustrate it.
*Visit the library and check out books of any animal they like and write an acrostic of the animal they chose and display products.