Biggest, Strongest, Fastest
on Goodreads (682)
What’s inside...
Caldecott medal winner Steve Jenkins explores the world's largest, slowest, and longest-lived creatures in this informational picture book that proves science can be a whole lot of fun. What is the biggest land animal? What animal runs the fastest? Can elephants really eat more than 300 pounds of grass each day? Dive into this fascinating book that introduces fourteen members of the animal kingdom who hold 'world records' for their astonishing traits. Young readers will find easy to understand comparisons, helpful charts, and a guide to where these amazing animals can be found in the wild. Made with his award-winning cut-page collage illustrations, Steve Jenkins brings the fascinating facts about our natural world alive in this educational and entertaining book.
Series reading
Non-Sequential
Age
4-7
Length
32 pages
Text complexity
Discussion points
What animal did you find the most interesting and why?
How do you think being the biggest, the strongest, or the fastest helps these animals survive?
If you could have one of these abilities, which one would you choose and what would you do with it?
How do the different animals use their unique strengths to interact with their environment?
Can you think of ways humans help or hinder these animals in the wild?
Tip: Role play these questions
Show genuine curiosity about your child's opinions and thoughts while discussing each animal.
Encourage your child to relate the abilities of these animals to their everyday life or to characters from other stories they know.
Use the book's illustrations to deepen the conversation, asking your child what they can infer about habitats and behaviors from the visuals.
Prior to reading, guess which animals might appear in the book and what special abilities they might have, then review after reading to stimulate recall and comparison skills.
Post-reading, engage in a creative activity where your child can draw or act out their favorite animal from the book using its strongest trait.
Key lessons
Example Lesson: Understanding Diversity
Explanation: The book highlights various animals and showcases how being 'biggest', 'strongest', or 'fastest' makes them unique.
Real-World Application: Children can learn to appreciate and celebrate differences among their peers, understanding that everyone has unique strengths.
Example Lesson: Importance of Teamwork
Explanation: The animals in the book often rely on their strengths to contribute to their communities.
Real-World Application: This can teach children about the significance of working together and valuing each person's contribution in group settings such as school projects or sports.
Example Lesson: Setting Goals
Explanation: The book illustrates animals excelling by being the 'biggest', 'strongest', or 'fastest', which can be seen as setting and achieving goals.
Real-World Application: Children can be encouraged to set personal goals and strive to achieve them, understanding that perseverance and hard work lead to success.
Example Lesson: Respect for Nature
Explanation: Showing the capabilities of different animals instills a sense of wonder and respect for wildlife.
Real-World Application: This encourages environmentally conscious behavior and teaches children the importance of taking care of the world around them.
Example Lesson: Learning through Comparison
Explanation: This book uses comparative language to help children grasp concepts of size, strength, and speed more effectively.
Real-World Application: Children can apply these comparative skills in practical situations like understanding measurements, distances, or solving problems that require analytical thinking.