Wolverines

Children's Literature

In this title in the "Animal Scavengers" series, the role of wolverine scavengers in the forest and open tundra is discussed. The narrative text follows a female and in the process, explains how she scavenges, who her predators are, what food sources she looks for, and the birth of two kits. The text reads smoothly and, while no format clues help the the reader and those using the book for reports, the information gives the reader a good picture of the life cycle and the raising of young. Full color and captionless pictures show this elegant furred animal in all seasons and give a sense of the habitat in which it marks its range. A section called "Looking back" enables readers to learn more from the pictures and think about why a late winter birth suits the species. A glossary, further suggested readings, videos, and websites, plus an index are also included in this solid entry in the series. 2005, Lerner Publications, Ages 8 to 12.
—Susan Hepler, Ph.D.

School Library Journal

Gr 2-5-Markle's overviews of jackals, Tasmanian devils, and wolverines skillfully mingle the sights, sounds, and smells of their worlds. She describes the challenges these animals face in foraging for food, maintaining a territory, raising progeny, and using physical attributes to survive in their specialized habitat. The full-color, full-page photos, all from a broad array of archives, clearly support the texts. Laurence Pringle's Jackal Woman (S & S, 1993) and Kathy Darling's Tasmanian Devil (HarperCollins, 1992) offer even more information. These titles are laudable for their readable texts but they lack the edgy brilliance of original photographs to match her smooth visual language.-Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.