Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews

The evolution of the eye and the surprising ways animals see the world are displayed in a thoughtfully designed and engagingly illustrated album. The look of a Jenkins book is unmistakable: realistic cut-and-torn–paper images set on a stark white background; short informational paragraphs; a helpful section of concluding facts with a pictorial index. But the content is always an interesting surprise. Here, he considers vision, the way animals link to their world using light-sensitive cells. Beginning with a description of the earliest, most simple eyes, he goes on to catalog four kinds, giving a representative example of each: eyespots (starfish), pinholes (giant clams), compound eyes (dragonflies) and camera eyes (birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, even octopuses). Then he offers 22 more—from sea slugs to Eurasian buzzards—each presented on a full page or spread across two. Each example includes a full-color thumbnail silhouette and a much larger close-up of the head and eye. Some of the papers are textured or varied in color. A surprising number of animals have hairy or bristly bits around their eyes, often depicted in individual tiny bits and pieces, suggesting incredible finesse on the part of the artist. A concluding section summarizes eye evolution, again from eyespots to camera eyes. A bibliography of suggestions for further reading and a glossary round out this intriguing introduction. Another impressive presentation from a master craftsman. (Informational picture book. 6-10)

School Library Journal Starred Review (Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2014)

Gr 3-6 The ability to perceive light and dark first developed in simple animals approximately 600 million years ago. Since that time, multiple variations of eyes have evolved from four main types: eyespot, pinhole, compound, and camera. Toward the end of the book, Jenkins devotes a page to describing the "evolution of the eye," enabling readers to easily follow the changes. Jenkins's outstanding torn- and cut-paper illustrations offer a fascinating look at these important organs, which range in size from the tiniest holes (starfish) to basketballs (colossal squid). Eyes not only allow animals to find food and avoid predators but can also assist in swallowing food and aid in attracting a mate. Large, colorful pictures of more than 20 animal eyes are accompanied by a small illustration of the entire creature and a brief paragraph of intriguing information (for example, as a halibut ages, one eye moves until both end up on the same side of its head, the panther chameleon can operate both eyes separately, and the hippopotamus has a clear membrane that enables it to see while underwater). Animal facts, a bibliography, and a glossary round out this slim volume that will captivate readers of all ages.— Maryann H. Owen, Children's Literature Specialist, Mt. Pleasant, WI

ALA Booklist (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2014)

This attractive, large-format volume introduces eyes in the animal kingdom. Large, colorful, and sometimes arresting, the illustrations will draw many young children, but they will find the vocabulary and concepts challenging. While the introduction briefly discusses the history and types of eyes, it does not provide the basic background that kids will need to understand the information given later. A typical entry features one animal on a page or a double-page spread. Jenkins seeks to amaze and inform with factoids, such as that the basketball-sized eyes of the colossal squid can detect the faint glow of tiny bioluminescent creatures when they are disturbed by an approaching sperm whale, the squid's archenemy. The writing seems complex for the intended audience, but the artwork is handsome and well composed; each image is a subtle, intricate paper collage. There's no indication of the animal's actual size until the back matter. Still, browsers will enjoy the illustrations, while teachers might find this a useful visual resource for showing a wide variety of animal light-sensors and eyes.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

The evolution of the eye and the surprising ways animals see the world are displayed in a thoughtfully designed and engagingly illustrated album. The look of a Jenkins book is unmistakable: realistic cut-and-torn–paper images set on a stark white background; short informational paragraphs; a helpful section of concluding facts with a pictorial index. But the content is always an interesting surprise. Here, he considers vision, the way animals link to their world using light-sensitive cells. Beginning with a description of the earliest, most simple eyes, he goes on to catalog four kinds, giving a representative example of each: eyespots (starfish), pinholes (giant clams), compound eyes (dragonflies) and camera eyes (birds, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, even octopuses). Then he offers 22 more—from sea slugs to Eurasian buzzards—each presented on a full page or spread across two. Each example includes a full-color thumbnail silhouette and a much larger close-up of the head and eye. Some of the papers are textured or varied in color. A surprising number of animals have hairy or bristly bits around their eyes, often depicted in individual tiny bits and pieces, suggesting incredible finesse on the part of the artist. A concluding section summarizes eye evolution, again from eyespots to camera eyes. A bibliography of suggestions for further reading and a glossary round out this intriguing introduction. Another impressive presentation from a master craftsman. (Informational picture book. 6-10)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Jenkins zeroes in on animal eyes in his latest merging of science and artistry. Subjects include the colossal squid (each of its eyes are -the size of a basketball-the largest of any animal-), the panther chameleon (-it can look in two directions at once-), and the tarsier, which has eyeballs larger than its brain. As usual, Jenkins carefully crafts his animals from torn and cut paper, creating an array of textures and a striking sense of detail, whether an animal is furry, feathery, or scaly. The eye, with its intricate structure and symbolic resonance, is an ideal focus for Jenkins-s inquisitive, informative narrative and multidimensional art. Ages 6-9. (Apr.)