Animalogy: Animal Analogies

By: Marianne Berkes
Illustrated by: Cathy Morrison
Publisher: Sylvan Dell Publishing
Publication Date: August 2011
ISBN: 978-1607181378
Reviewed by: Holly Connors
Review Date: August 18, 2011

I still have a memory of a time in first grade (a looooong time ago) when our class was learning about analogies. I just didn’t get it. Try as she might, our teacher couldn’t get the concept through my thick head. I even had to stay after school so she could give me some extra one-on-one time. Fortunately, I did finally grasp the concept and move on to bigger and better things. But gosh, I sure wish I had Sylvan Dell’s new book, Animalogy to help me through that time.

Animalogy, like all of the Sylvan Dell books I’ve read, are eye-candy for both young and old. The illustrations are absolutely stunning. But that is just a tiny part of these books, which take teaching very seriously. From math concepts to conservation of endangered species, these books teach children important lessons while holding their attention with bright, colorful illustrations and cheerful stories. Animalogy doesn’t disappoint and so, in a whimsical, sing-songy rhyming way, introduces the concept of analogies to early readers.

Bat is to flit,
As eagle is to soar.
Dog is to bark,
as lion is to roar.

In the back of the book, “For Creative Minds” takes the idea of analogies further. There are six pages of explanations as well as projects such as picking which words best described a pictured animal’s action, and matching a type of skin (fur, scales, feathers, etc.) to the various pictures. There are also more (free!) activities online at the publisher’s website.

Quill says: If you want to introduce your child or classroom to the concept of analogies, you’ll want this book to help you along.