Why Are Animals Yellow?

Children's Literature - Kathy Leggett

Why do animals come in every color of the rainbow—even yellow? This book is part of a series written by a science author who has managed to find a creative way to state simply, yet scientifically the facts about the use of color in the animal kingdom. The yellow cover builds interest and appeal for readers before they even take the book from the shelf. A short table of contents and an introductory glossary aid readers in preparing for what they are going to read. All the animals are depicted in close-up, full-page photographs, and multiple shades of yellow seem to flow from page to page. The bright yellow spines of the cup moth caterpillar signal "danger; stay away from me," while the soft yellow feathers of the goose chick blend in to the grass of its nest and protect it from predators. A few sentences on each double-page spread explain how the color yellow helps each creature to survive. A guessing game about the purpose of the colors keeps listeners intent on hearing what comes next. A world map and lists of additional resources make this a perfect high-interest resource for even the youngest learners. Older special needs students at the middle and high school levels would find it equally appealing. Additional titles in the "Rainbow of Animals" series are: Why Are Animals Blue?, Why Are Animal Green?, Why Are Animals Orange?, Why Are Animals Red? and Why Are Animals Purple? Overall, this is a perfect series to use as a read-aloud to supplement an animal unit or for teaching the process of research. A delightful addition to any library, this is a smaller book designed for smaller hands. All the information in each book supports the standardsset by the National Science Foundation for K-4 students and has been reviewed to ensure proper vocabulary and science content. Reviewer: Kathy Leggett

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2

The world is a rainbow of animals, and this series sets out to explain why. There is much repetition within these books, and a pattern quickly emerges as to how or why certain species appear as they do. The explanations generally fall into one of four categories: because they are poisonous (reptiles and insects), to attract a mate (birds and mammals), for the purpose of camouflage (common across all species), or because of diet (predominantly the case with birds). Each book begins with "Words to Know," which are highlighted in the appropriate color within the text. The stunning photographs often showcase the animals' vibrancy against contrasting colors. Each volume ends with clear, color range maps. This unusual, appealing series is easy to read and will be a solid selection for reluctant readers.