Tundra

Children's Literature

With environmental concerns making the news almost daily, it is important to understand that the "environment" is actually made up of groups of specialized areas known as biomes. The PowerKids Press has a series that explains each of these biomes, starting with the tundra, in language that kids can understand. The tundra are regions in the arctic and on high mountains where the soil is frozen for most of the year. The word tundra is Finnish for "no trees," and is an accurate description of the landscape. This book is a very interesting introduction to the biome. The text is easy to read and is broken up into short sections. The pictures are beautiful and add to the understanding of the text. The most interesting feature of the book is the Web site that readers can access for links to active Web sites related to tundra. The book is short, however, and only gives basic information, but for readers who are daunted by the big reference book, it is very accessible. 2003, Rosen, Ages 8 to 11.
— Heather Robertson