Synopsis
Illustrations and simple text describe how twelve different animals, including pandas, fruit bats, cheetahs, and gray whales, raise their young.
School Library Journal
K-Gr 3This series features somewhat unusual animals found in various parts of the world. Armored Animals focuses on the natural defenses of several creatures, e.g., the armadillo's plates, the turtle's shell, the porcupine's quills, and the rhinoceros's size and tough hide. Baby Animals looks at what they eat, their appearance, and how long they stay with their mothers. Galagos, beavers, fruit bats, pandas, and gray whales are among those included. Information is presented in a few short paragraphs. Captions with arrows pointing to specific parts of the pictures provide more details, as do occasional close-ups. The large, clear, watercolor-and-pencil drawings are the strength of these books. Because these books are visually attractive, they might be useful as supplemental material for browsers or for teachers doing units on these subjects, but on the whole, the information is slight.Helen Rosenberg, St. Scholastica High School, Chicago, IL