This book is about something where there is nothing at all. Holes. But, holes can be beautiful, surprising, useful and even alarming!
A hole can be an indentation in your crumpet or be open, like in a sewing needle. It can be deep or shallow, empty or filled, or it can be tiny or ENORMOUS! Holes are in all sorts of different places, shapes and sizes.
Each page in this book has us discovering a new hole. We learn that every aeroplane window has a tiny hole in it which stabilises the air pressure and stops it from fogging up. Whales have blowholes in their heads which are like a nostril. If you find a hole in the top of a clam-shaped shell on the beach it might be a clue to a murder. Lewis’s moon snail can fill its foot with water until it’s over
30 cm long and move around on it. When it finds a clam, it grabs it with its foot and drills a hole through it with its long-toothed tongue, then feasts on the creature inside.
Take a look around you. The pores in your skin, a keyhole, or the hole left by a book you’ve just taken from the shelf.
This Book is Full of Holes is not about nothing. In fact, it’s full of so many fascinating somethings. It not only helps us to look around at the world through learning about holes but while doing so, it encourages us to see with fresh eyes. What we find is that there are just so many holes!
Reviewed by Rowena Morcom
Age Guide 8+
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I write fiction and nonfiction picture books and middle grade books, often with elements of science and exploring the natural world. My stories and articles have also appeared in children’s magazines like Cricket, Muse, and Ladybug.
I live on an island in Washington state, where my family and I love to explore tide pools, search for sea glass, watch whales from shore, and trek through the fern-filled forests.
In addition to writing, I also lead ocean conservation policy work for the Seattle Aquarium. I’m often inspired to feature marine animals in my stories, from whales and octopuses to wolf eels and harbor seals.
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Robert Meganck is Professor Emeritus of illustration, graphic design, colour theory and digital imaging in the Department of Communication Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University, and a freelance illustrator. He is a former chair of the department and past president of Communication Design, Inc. He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Center for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan.
Robert has received over 300 regional, national and international awards for his research and professional practice in illustration and graphic design, and been recognised for excellence by such organizations as The Society of Illustrators New York, The Society of Illustrators Los Angeles, American Illustration and The Illustrators Club of Washington DC, Maryland and Virginia. His work has been included in a variety of national reviews including Communication Arts Magazine’s Illustration and Design Annuals, American Illustration Annuals, Print Magazine’s Regional Design Annuals, The Society of Illustrators Annuals, and 3×3 The Magazine of Contemporary Illustration.
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