November 1, 2017
PreS-Gr 1-Appealing close-up photographs of tropical animals are the main draw of this introductory series. Short simple sentences convey two or three basic facts on each page: physical characteristics, food, babies, and life spans. Each book also includes a few questions meant to encourage critical thinking. Some of the answers can be inferred from the information given, but others require knowledge that is not provided. For example, in Es un camaleon! readers are told chameleons may lay up to 100 eggs and are then asked why they think chameleons lay so many eggs. Given that predators are not mentioned, it would be difficult for a child to come up with the correct answer. VERDICT The visual appeal of these books accompanied by just enough facts should engage students, despite some flaws.
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