TERRIFIC TONGUES!:A STEM Picture Book With Classroom & Event Activities

Best Users: STEM Educators, Classroom Teachers, Librarians, Booksellers, Nature Centers
Best Audience: Children Grades 00-04

“Perfect for a group storytime, this is a useful addition to the wonders-of-animals shelf.” —Kirkus Reviews

EXPLORE & DOWNLOAD THE ACTIVITY

Terrific Tongues tells us that the“North America bullfrog’s tongue unrolls like a party blower.”

Thus, we could not resist making you a North America bullfrog (illustrated by Jia Liu) mask template for you to use in classrooms and at Story Time. Order a pack of party blowers (best as plain pink) to insert into colored masks and you will have an interactive amphibian craft!
DOWNLOAD Terrific Tongues: Frog Mask (PDF)

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

 

ABOUT THE BOOK

Terrific Tongues!
By Maria Gianferrari
Illustrated by Jia Liu
Published by Boyds Mill Press
ISBN-13: 9781620917848
Age Range: 4 – 8 Years

This fascinating and whimsical nonfiction picture book uses humorous comparisons and playful artwork to teach children the unusual ways that a variety of animals—from woodpeckers to snakes to bats—use their tongues to find food, eat, and clean themselves.

In this nonfiction picture book, kids will learn about the woodpecker, which uses its tongue to burrow for insects under tree bark; the okapi, which can wash its face and ears with its tongue; and the octopus, which uses its tongue to drill holes in shells. Through debut illustrator Jia Liu’s bright, playful collage artwork, readers can imagine what it would be like to have a tongue like a sword, like a straw, or like a party blower, among many other silly and illuminating comparisons. The back matter expands on each animal tongue’s unique abilities and includes information about other fun tongues, too.

“An expressive monkey acts as a guide to the animal kingdom’s most interesting tongues…Back matter offers greater detail and also explains the workings of the human tongue. The appealing cover and bright, cheery illustrations will capture the attention of even casual browsers. A fine addition to early nonfiction collections.”
—School Library Journal
.
“Animal tongues are surprisingly versatile.This interactive introduction to a dozen animal tongues asks readers and listeners to stick out their own tongues and then imagine having a tongue like a sword, a straw, a nose, a mop…and so forth. Each page turn reveals the animal whose tongue has that look or function…Some further information about these creatures’ tongues and where they live around the world is provided in the backmatter, and there is a short list of other “fun tongues.” Both concept and illustrations show the influence of Steve Jenkins’ animal anatomies. Perfect for a group storytime, this is a useful addition to the wonders-of-animals shelf.”
—Kirkus Reviews