What Do You Do With a Tail Like This?

This entertaining picture book teaches young readers about the "forms and functions" of specific body parts in different animals. A two-page spread begins with a question, such as "What can you do with a nose like this?" or "What do you do with eyes like these?" with unidentified close-ups of the same body parts from five different animals. The following two-page spread answers the question, revealing full-length illustrations of the five animals accompanied by explanations of the body part's function. For example, when answering the question "What can you do with a nose like this?" the book explains how a platypus uses its nose to dig in the mud, a hyena finds its next meal with its nose, an elephant uses its nose to give itself a bath, a mole digs underground with its nose, and an alligator breathes through its nose while hiding in the water. This Caldecott Honor Book features appealing collage-type illustrations of the animals, and the last four pages contain additional details about each animal accompanied by thumbnail illustrations of the animals. By Steve Jenkins & Robin Page. 32 pgs, pb. ~ Lisa