What Lives in the Arctic?

Children's Literature - Meagan Albright

Excellent photographs and succinct and interesting facts about arctic animals make this a good addition to libraries and school media centers serving children ages 4 to 8, though it should be considered an additional purchase and not part of the core collection. The extremely sharp and clear photographs are occasionally accompanied by a soft, almost whimsically painted background, which adds to the visual appeal of this title. There are, however, a few missteps, including animals that are pictured but not identified. This can be frustrating for a young reader whose attention is grabbed by an interesting-looking animal, but who has no access to information about said animal, not even a simple label identifying its name. This is especially problematic since one assumes the intent of the book is to pique the reader's interest and share information on the topic. Additionally, one of the final pages of the book poses the question, "Can you learn about these Arctic animals?" with a list ranging from the arctic hare to the wolverine—but there is not resource guide or other suggestions for finding information about the animals. Reviewer: Meagan Albright

School Library Journal

K-Gr 3

The first few pages of each volume offer a brief introduction to the habitat and provide a map that clearly identifies locations around the world. Then spreads introduce eight animals. A large, striking photo of each creature will capture readers' attention, while text boxes and a small inset photo provide additional information. A minimal attempt is made to relate the animals to one another. Coral Reefs notes the oceans in which each animal lives, but readers might easily assume that they will all be found in the same region. Glossary entries are sometimes simplistic-for example, lichen is described as "a kind of plant that grows on a hard surface such as a rock or tree." Although the author provides a list of additional animals and challenges readers to learn more about them, she doesn't suggest books or Web sites for such an investigation. Beginning readers and browsers interested in animals may be drawn to these books, but anyone wanting information for reports or enrichment will need additional sources.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato