Survival and Change

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-Concise introductions to the ways in which organisms adapt to environmental changes and to the scientific classification of plants and animals. The books have the same format: 13 double-page topical entries, each with several one-paragraph items; numerous captioned color photographs, diagrams, and charts; and interesting boxed "Did you know?" items. Survival looks at fossil evidence of changing conditions and explores scientific ideas on how organisms have evolved over time to survive and produce the wide variety of life on Earth today. Topics include speciation, survival of species under extreme conditions, species that have upset the natural balance of environments, the origin of new species, prehistoric life and fossil evidence of extinction, convergent and divergent evolution, and present-day threats to organisms and efforts to protect endangered species. Classification considers the system used by scientists to name and classify organisms; identifies the five kingdoms of living things; and very briefly introduces plants without flowers, flowering plants, invertebrates, and vertebrates.-Carolyn Angus, The Claremont Graduate School, CA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.