Walter Retan (1920–1999)

I liked this book for two reasons. First, I liked the illustrations in the book. The illustrations are realistic and are appropriate to the mood of the book. Because this is a non-fiction, informational text, it is important that the illustrations are realistic so that the audience is aware that these are true statements and a serious tone that the author wants to have come across. The life-like illustrations help the audience envision what the author is describing about ants and helps them develop a clear understanding of the topic. I also like this book because the language was descriptive and clear. Because of the age group that this chapter book is targeted for, the language is clear so that a young audience can easily follow along and learn facts about ants. For example, when describing the ant's anatomical layout, the author writes, "Two long feelers, or antennas, stretch out from the front of the head. An ant uses its feelers to smell, recognize other ants, and examine pieces of food" (p. 9). With a young audience, readers may not be familiar with the term "antenna", so the writing is very descriptive and uses terms that are familiar and easily understood for a younger audience. With this in mind, students are still learning about the ant, but in terms that are easily understood. The big idea of this book is to share information about ants and their lifestyles.… (meer)

Armies of Ants by Walter Retan was an excellent informational children's book. This book is a great read for students for three important reasons. For starters, the language is clear and easy to follow while providing key academic language pertaining to the specifics of different species of ants. Walter Retan adds new academic language like, 'gastor' which is the part of the ant that is attached to its abdomen. Secondly, the plot of this book covers a vast range of aspects of the several species of ants, where certain ants live, what they eat, how they live within a colony and why they are important to the world. Finally, the illustrations guide the reader along with vivid images of the information presented on each page. Chapter 2 presents information on the different parts of the ant with a labeled visual of an ant and its body parts. Armies of Ants is an informational children's book that provides an array of interesting facts that pertain to many various species of ants.… (meer)