Lilley, Matt. Good Eating: The Short Life of Krill. Dan Tavis, Illus. Non-fiction. Tilbury, 01/2022. [36]pp. $18.95. 978-0-8844-8867-5. OUTSTANDING. GRADES 1-3.
The opening line: “Hey egg. What are you doing?” grabs readers and takes them on an amazing journey, following the lifecycle and adventures of an Antarctic krill. Graphically strong watercolor, ink, gouache, and digital paintings are striking and imbue the krill with personality and panache, as the egg sinks two miles deep and then fights its way to the surface. What Candace Fleming did for bees in Honeybee (Neal Porter, 2020), Lilley does for krill—revealing the amazing complex life story of a tiny creature that is critically important to our ecosystem. The book’s generous size, humorous tone, and strong design make it excellent as a non-fiction read-aloud and perfect for introducing the scientific concepts of keystone species and metamorphosis. Back matter includes additional facts as well as print, online, and gaming resources for learning more.
Melissa McAvoy, Retired
