Review of HOTTEST, COLDEST, HIGHEST, DEEPEST

Virginia Caldwell
Book Review Module 4
TWU assignment
LS 5603 – 20


Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest


Bibliographic Data:
Jenkins, Steve. 1998. Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0395899990


Plot Summary:
Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest, written and illustrated by Steve Jenkins a nonfiction work about the extremes of various places on Earth. For example, this book tells the reader about the places that have the most and least amount of rain per year, among many other interesting little-known records.


Analysis:
Jenkins makes scientific facts fun in this short book about things and places that have bragging rights as the “most” or “least”. For instance, it introduces and explains that the wettest spot on Earth is Tutunendo, Columbia. To add interest, a small paragraph of the opposite page add that the place with the most rainy days in Mount Wai-ala-ale in Hawaii. There is a map of Tutunendo, which shows where it is in South America, and then where it is in the world. This gives the reader a great perspective. Finally, a chart compares Tutunendo’s annual rainfall with other objects, like a man, and the average annual rainfall in Chicago. This is very effective in allowing the reader to figure out just how much rain this place gets per year.

Every place in the book has similar maps, interesting facts, comparisons, and relative size charts like the ones described above. Put together, these assets really make the book come alive to the reader.

The book is organized by placing similar places near each other. For example, the book begins with the Nile River, which is the longest, and then moves to Lake Baikal, which is the oldest and deepest lake. This organization is works well, and helps the reader move through the book in a logical manner.

In addition to writing Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest, Jenkins is also the illustrator. He uses cut and paste paper collage to portray the images of the places in the book. Many of the illustrations look very real, and are always colorful and interesting. Jenkins also adds a map with a red dot to show the reader where the place is located. In addition, to show the relevance of the special place’s unique claim, many illustrations have a chart that compares it to other places. For example, on the page about the deepest spot in the ocean, the Marianas Trench, Jenkins’ illustrative chart also shows the average depth of the ocean, and the height of the Empire State building. This gives the reader a fantastic perspective about the actual depth of the Marianas Trench.



Review Excerpts:
School Library Journal, 08/01/1998
“Browsers will pick up this delightful picture book and read it through completely. This eye-catching introduction to geography will find a lot of use in libraries and classrooms.” Anne Chapman Callaghan, Racine Public Library, WI

BookList, 08/01/1998
“Highly effective visual education for the classroom or for young browsers intrigued by superlatives.” ((Reviewed August 1998)) -- Carolyn Phelan. Booklist, published by the American Library Association.


The above reviews are from Book Index with Reviews. 2007 EBSCO Publishing, Powered by The Title Source TM (Accessed through http://online.twu.edu/webapps/portal/frameset.jsp?tab_id=_142_1 on October 14, 2007).



Connections:
Some books with similar themes: Biggest, Strongest, Fastest by Steve Jenkins; Actual Size by Steve Jenkins; Guinness World Records 2008 by Guinness World Records.
Activities: This book would be great for a unit on geography.