Two intrepid librarians

Two intrepid librarians review the best nonfiction books for children

Monday, April 30, 2018

Terrific Tongues! Blog Tour


Terrific Tongues!
by Maria Gianferrari
illustrated by Jia Liu
Boyds Mills Press, 2018
ISBN: 9781620917848

To write this review, the publisher sent us advanced copies of the book.

Today we are taking part in the Terrific Tongues! Blog Tour. As part of this blog tour, we are giving away one copy of Terrific Tongues! donated by the publisher. Details and the entry form can be found at the bottom of this page.

In this engaging informational picture book, Gianferrari, the author of Coyote Moon, celebrates the wonders of the tongue! A monkey is our host as we are taken through the many terrific things a tongue can do.


Gianferrari blends two writing styles: narrative and expository to make an informative and interesting story for young readers. The narrative parts include similes and comparisons that illustrate the diversity of tongues found in the animal kingdom: "If you had a tongue like a nose, you might be..." and with a turn of the page, we learn it is ..."a snake!" Each comparison is accompanied by a paragraph containing details about the animal's tongue: "A snake's tongue helps it smell. It sticks out its forked tongue to collect chemicals in the environment. The chemicals are then absorbed by two pits on the roof of its mouth called the Jacobson's organ. The Jacobson's organ sends a message to the snake's brain, letting it know whether it's smelling food, danger, or a mate." 


Liu's digital illustrations are lively and very colorful, and the monkey narrator adds comic relief to the story. Terrific Tongues! would make story time very lively and fun; it would also enliven science classes for all ages.

One lucky reader will win a copy of Terrific Tongues! courtesy of Boyds Mill Press. 


Giveaway Rules

  • Complete the form below to enter the giveaway.
  • One entry per person.
  • You must be 13 years old or older to enter.
  • U.S. addresses only
  • The contest will end at 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, May 3, 2018.
  • The winner will be notified by email. 

3 comments:

  1. I can't wait to read this book! Looks like a great one!

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  2. Thank you so much, Louise & Cathy for featuring Terrific Tongues & the giveaway here!! :)

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  3. This book seems like a tasty addition to a nonfiction library!

    ReplyDelete