Grasslands

School Library Journal

Gr 4-6-- Although these are British imports, the text has only a few terms that may confuse American children (not many will know what a ``shingle'' beach is). Both books use a wide variety of examples from all of the continents. In Grasslands the various prairies, steppes, savannas, and other ecosystems are described separately, while similarities are compared in general chapters. Coasts has examples and illustrations from all over the world. Both books focus on their topics as natural, indigenous habitats, but also discuss how humans have altered or otherwise used the regions to our advantage (and often to nature's disadvantage). If there is any bias at all, it is toward the conservationist point of view. The photographs are well chosen and handsomely reproduced. The drawings and maps are clearly drawn and well labeled. There is no new information presented, but what is here is solid, attractive, and accurate. Two good replacements for older geography titles by Goetz et al. --Rosanne Cerny, Queens Borough Public Library, NY