A Grassland Habitat

Children's Literature - Amy S. Hansen

In a new exciting series called "Introducing Habitats," Kalman and various writing colleagues take on some complicated issues by describing plants and animals that live in various habitats, why they live there, what is special about the place, and of course, what a habitat is. "A habitat is a place in nature," we are told in the first sentence. And later, after introducing the living and non-living things that are there, we learn "Plants and animals need air, water and food to stay alive. They have everything they need in their habitats." Using stunning photos, Kalman and MacAuley move to the North American prairies. The team explains what the specific habitat is like, including its weather and the frequency of fire, as well as addressing the special adaptations needed for life on the prairie. The writing team also discusses plants and animals in broader terms, explaining photosynthesis, and food webs. Each page has fewer than forty words of text. The text refers to the pictures used so no captions are necessary. With the clear writing and wonderful pictures, this book will serve the young informational reader well. Back matter includes a short glossary and an index.