Prairie Dogs and Their Burrows

Children's Literature

Prairie dogs are rodents that live in burrows. This book uses easy terms to explain how the prairie dog makes and uses their burrow. There are fifteen to twenty words per page. Early readers will appreciate the large print and the amazing full-page photographs. The photographs add to the text and aid the reader in deciphering words. There is a simple table of contents that lists three chapters, the glossary, an index/word list, and additional suggested sources. The recommended Internet site provides the reader with access to the "facthound" database. As the content in this book supports national life science standards it would certainly supplement any school or classroom library. It also serves as a great introduction to informational books. It is part of the "Animal Homes" series. 2005, Capstone Press, Ages 5 to 7.
—Denise Daley

School Library Journal

PreS-Gr 2-These visually attractive titles feature large-print text on pale colored backgrounds paired with appealing, full-color photographs of animals in their natural habitats. The writing is straightforward, with word repetition and simple sentence structure making the texts accessible to beginning readers. One or two lines appear on each spread: e.g., "Prairie dogs stay safe in burrows. Burrows are good homes for prairie dogs." The books don't stray far from the given focus of an animal and its home, describing the various types, contents, and purposes of each dwelling. Useful glossaries highlight words that may need further definition. A publisher-supported Web-based search engine guides students to age- and content-appropriate sites. While they are adequate additions to existing animal collections, these books shouldn't be the exclusive source of information on the topics.-Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.