The Children’s Book Review | April 11, 2019
Si mi mamá fuera un ornitorrinco
Written by Dia L. Michels
Age Range: 8-12 years
Paperback: 64 pages
Publisher: Science Naturally (2019)
ISBN: 978-1-938492-06-8
What to expect: Mammals, life cycles, science, English-language learning
In Si mi mamá fuera un ornitorrinco, readers are introduced to fourteen different mammal babies as they travel from birth to maturity. This book is a Spanish translation of If My Mom Were a Platypus, which was published in 2002.
This clever translation helps English-language learners glean important scientific information through its science-through-literature approach. Told as individual stories by each of the mammal babies, readers can also strengthen their reading comprehension skills while learning about the various attributes of each mammal baby. Topics covered include mammal life cycles, habitats, adaptation, ecology, anatomy, survival mechanisms and sensory perception, to name just a few.
Recommended by the National Science Teachers Association and winner of several awards, Si mi mamá fuera un ornitorrincois a welcome addition to any classroom library for dual-language learners.
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About the Author
Dia L. Michels is an award-winning internationally published science and parenting writer, she is the author or editor of over a dozen books for both children and adults. Her books have been translated into Spanish, Dutch, Hebrew, Chinese, and Korean. A popular speaker, she lectures frequently at conferences, universities, libraries, and schools around the country. She teaches classes on mammal reproduction and lactation at children’s and science museums around the U.S. and is a commentator for Public Radio, International. Her articles have been published in People, Parenting, Mothering, Parents, Baby Talk, Family Fun, Nurturing, and the Washington Post. She lives in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Washington, DC, with her husband, Tony Gualtieri, their three children, and four cats and a dog.
About the Illustrator
Andrew Barthelmes, illustrator of If My Mom Were a Platypus, and designer of I Was Born to Be a Brother and many other projects, is a New York based illustrator and graphic designer. A graduate of The School of Visual Arts, his illustrations have appeared in publications such as The New Yorker, Ladies’ Home Journal, Street & Smith’s Sports, and The Wall Street Journal. In addition to the Platypus book, he also illustrated Herman the Loudmouth. He has been a children’s book designer for Random House, Inc. and is currently creating new children’s books for Reader’s Digest. He lives in Peekskill, NY with his wife Barbara, and new baby, Julia.
Si mi mamá fuera un ornitorrinco, written by Dia L. Michels and illustrated by Andrew Barthelmes, was reviewed by Luisa LaFleur. Discover more books like Si mi mamá fuera un ornitorrinco by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Books About Mammals, Lifecycle Books, Science, and Spanish.
