WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A TAIL LIKE THIS? by Steve Jenkins and Robin Page

Jenkins, Steve, and Robin Page. What Do You Do With a Tail Like This. 2003. New York: Scholastic Inc. ISBN 0439704154

In a book line up showing covers only, What Do You Do With a Tail Like This? is picked as consistently as the best batter on the playground baseball team.  It has a crisp, uncluttered look.  The colorful cut paper collage art is set on a clean, white background that makes the pictures pop.  Visually similar to the art of Eric Carle, the design appeals to young readers, but the subject matter is a winner for curious minds of all ages. 

This concept book is organized simply and clearly in six sections, baiting our curiosity with a clever premise.  Dangling the noses, ears, tails, eyes, mouths and feet of different animals before our eyes, the reader is asked, “What do you do with a [body part] like this?”  This style sets up an interactive guessing game to identify the animal that belongs to each part.  Turning the page reveals the whole animal with a brief sentence that tells how that animal uses its body part   Of course there are plenty of surprises like ears on the knees, "seeing" ears, blood squirting eyes, and disposable tails.  At the back of the book there is more detailed information in a paragraph each for all 30 animals.  A miniature of the same art for each animal accompanies each paragraph for easy reference. 

Jenkins and Page cite no sources in this Caldecott honor winner, but the awards won and the reviews given speak well of the authenticity of the material.  Booklist’s starred review says “This is a striking, thoughtfully created book with intriguing facts made more memorable through dynamic art.”  I have found it to be a popular read aloud in my own kindergarten classroom.   The art is very appealing and the information is so interesting it sticks with the kids.  It supplements our unit on the five senses as well as our animal unit.  What do you do with a book like this?  Enjoy it!