Trill the Fox Cub

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3-- An exceptionally attractive and useful series that traces the growth of each animal from birth through maturity--anywhere from six months to a year. The animals are given identifying names but are not sentimentalized, with human intervention seen as necessary for survival and to return to the wild (fox and owl). The barn owl, an incubated hatchling, is shown first as blind, pink and helpless, then as increasingly appealing as a fledgling, to a lacy gray- and brown-backed portrait with her mate, at six months. This contrasts with Dabble, incubated from a found duck egg and put in the care of a Silkie hen; and Chester, a young fighting cock hatched at home--both birds up and running from day one. The weakest study is of the guinea pig, which gives the least information about life stages. The rabbit, a more widely known example, is also born helpless; and the fox, taken to foster care and kept from undue bonding with domestic animals, returns to visit at ten months for a winter meal. First published in England, the books have been edited for American use. Teachers will be able to use the ``Things to Talk About'' sections and the glossaries with primary-grade children, but the ``Things to Do'' pages seem geared for an older audience. Useful individually and as examples of contrasting kinds of animal development, these books will be particularly appealing because of their stunning, full-color photographs. --Ruth M. McConnell, San Antonio Public Library