Food and Feeding

April 1, 2012

Gr 2-5-These overviews offer examples of different aspects of animal life. For example, to attract a mate, a greater sage-grouse male will puff out his chest while a male cuttlefish will flash different colors and patterns. Each book begins with a spread containing a diagram or drawing to introduce the topic. The volumes profile different animals with short paragraphs, large photos, and "Fact Files" text boxes that contain information about the creature's size, habitat, distribution, etc. Most examples feature specific species (sifaka, blind cave fish, etc.), but some are oddly generic entries such as "Snail" and "Bat" in Movement. That volume begins with the oversimplified statement that "All animals move to search for food, escape from predators, find homes, and find mates." Close-up photos will attract browsers, who might be inspired to do further research.

Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2012
Though the emphasis here is on breadth rather than depth, these books are well organized and helpfully formatted to demonstrate a wide range in each of the behaviors they treat. In each, a brief introduction is followed by a sample flow chart of, say, a food web; double-page spreads of different methods of feeding follow. Colorful captioned photographs and boxed facts supplement the texts. Glos., ind.

(Copyright 2012 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)