Perk up Your Ears: Discover Your Sense of Hearing by Vicki Cobb, Mary Vicki Cobb, Cynthia Copeland Lewis (Illustrator), Cynthia C. Lewis (Illustrator)

Children's Literature

This book is almost too overwhelming to read in one sitting and is best read in segments. The busy illustrations add to the ambiance of the subject matter, creating the sensation of noise or quiet settings. While the book can be read independently, it is also a great book to add to the classroom collection of textbooks about the senses, sound, and the human body. It touches on each in an informative and entertaining manner. The suggested experiments throughout the book are terrific object lessons—as well as thought-provoking examples of hearing and sound perceptions. While this is mainly a book about the sense of hearing, it also leads readers to a biological viewpoint of the ear, art, music, technology and many other things we listen to. The accompanying illustrations are both humorous and informative and quite intricately created. One flaw (if this could be considered such) is that parents and grandparents are portrayed as being beneath the portrayed children's' intelligence and are mildly made fun of. While the author may not have intended this perception, it nevertheless exists, but does not detract from the overall attractiveness of the book. 2001, Millbrook Press, $22.00. Ages 9 to 12. Reviewer:Elizabeth Young

School Library Journal

Gr 3-6-"Fun!" comes through loud and clear in this energetic exploration of hearing and auditory perception. Cobb gets the anatomy lesson out of the way, then moves on to a series of simple activities to help kids experiment with their own sense of hearing. Students investigate sound conduction, perception of pitch, echolocation, and range of hearing by doing such things as sticking their fingers in their ears while they talk. The author explains in sufficient detail what is going on inside the ear, describing the incredibly delicate workings of the amazing ear. What sets this book apart from more standard treatments of the subject, such as John Farndon's Sound & Hearing (Benchmark, 2001), is the entertaining art. The irresistibly wacky, full-color collages combine photos, illustrations, and dialogue balloons. Kids and adults alike will love the refreshing wit and enthusiastic approach to the topic.-Joyce Adams Burner, Hillcrest Library, Prairie Village, KS Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.

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