Snakes A-Z

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-Each book starts with a general overview of its topic. Following that, examples of the animal are given under each letter of the alphabet. Some letters have many, while others (e.g., Q, Z) have only a few, or even one. This format, while fun, can lead to some small inconsistencies. For example, each creature is generally referred to by its common name (e.g., "Portuguese man-of-war" is found under "P"), but sometimes the constraints of fitting an animal into the alphabet require different terminology such as a Latin name ("O" features "oxybelis"-the scientific name for vine snakes) or a generalized term ("J" for "jellyfish"). The text does not go into much depth-three or four sentences per entry is the norm. A silhouette of the human body or hand and each featured animal will help readers get an idea of the creature's relative size. Additional facts about random animals are found in boxes on some of the pages. Lots of large, realistic drawings add visual appeal. Each book also includes an illustrated glossary. There's not enough here for even a brief report, but the colorful drawings and factual tidbits will certainly draw an appreciative audience of browsers.-Arwen Marshall, Minneapolis Public Library Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.