Full Text Review(s)
"Moose is a highly informative book on the life and habits of the largest member of the deer family. Numerous color photographs and two anatomical drawings illustrate the five chapters that explain the moose’s diet, mating habits, hazardous life, and conflicts with humans. The effects of poaching and deforestation on moose populations are dealt with, as is the role of moose in the ecosystem and, specifically, their relationships with bear and wolf populations. It is surprising to see just how devastating a tick infestation can be to such a huge animal. Specific statistics on size, food requirements, and the differences between males and females are included. The chapter titled "A Mother and Her Calves" describes the year the mother and calf remain together and how she teaches it to forage and swim.

This book does a good job of answering questions the interested student might have on the life and times of the moose, as well as answering those which might not yet have occurred to the student. A glossary with 20 of the terms italicized throughout, as well as an index and a "Find out more" section that recommends other books and Web sites, is included. Moose would be a good addition to a school library and would also make a nice gift to any child interested in animals.— Mary Jane Davis, Red Bank Catholic High School, Red Bank, NJ"

"I recommend this book highly for its information, illustrations, and organization. Much more than the physical characteristics, behavior, and habitat of the buffalo is presented, both in words and pictures. Difference between plains buffalo, wood buffalo, and European buffalo are noted and illustrated, as are their relationships to other bovids.

Hunting by Native Americans is described in great detail, from buffalo jumps to firearms, including the use of horses, and all is well illustrated. Details are given of their use of buffalo for food, shelter, clothing, tools, and more. Hunting and uses of the animal by Native Americans is compared with hunting and uses by the colonists, which resulted in massive decreases in the buffalo population by the 1890s. Work done in Canada and in the United States to "Save the Buffalo" is well documented, as is the resultant current distribution of herds in both countries.

There is an adequate glossary, an index (with references to the many illustrations), and a list of books and Web sites for sources of additional information. In spite of the wealth of detail and information, nowhere is the scientific name of the American buffalo, Bison bison , to be found.— Eleanor Wenger, Lawrence, KS"

"Eye-catching covers, smoothly written and informative chapters, and numerous clear, close-up color photographs are the hallmarks of these titles. Comprehensive in scope, each volume describes the animal’s characteristics, behaviors, and habitats. Useful comments are included on the preservation of these species. Organized charts list facts that students commonly need for reports such as height, weight, and life span. Colorful maps show where these species can be found. Illustrations of the skeletal structures also enhance the content. Moose has a larger format and is more current than Annie Hemstock’s The Moose (Capstone, 1998). Porcupines is more informative than Peter Murray’s Porcupines (The Child’s World, 1994; o.p.) and is written at a higher reading level than Shannon Zemlicka’s Prickly Porcupines (Lerner, 2002). Buffalo has a different scope and easier style than Beverly Brodsky’s Buffalo (Marshall Cavendish, 2003), which focuses on the buffalo’s place in Native American culture. The two titles complement one another nicely. Fine, quality additions to libraries of all sizes looking for more material on these animals, these volumes are good for reports as well as for browsing."

"These beautifully crafted books present information in a lively, readable manner. The excellent-quality, candid full-color photographs show the featured animals in their natural habitats and are closely matched to the texts. While including all the facts necessary for reports, these titles also tell a compelling story of where the animals live and why, how they raise their young, and what they need to survive. Diagrams of their skeletons show how their bodies suit their environment or their hunting methods. In Cheetahs and Rhinoceroses , there is also a strong undercurrent of warning that the animals are endangered and becoming extinct in many areas. Folklore and history about them are also included. These visually appealing titles are useful as well as delightful to read."

"These books provide children with a complete description of each animal in language easy for them to read and comprehend. Each book discusses the animal's body, the location in the world where it is found, different species, habitat and lifestyle, and how they survive. A chapter in each book outlines steps that are being taken to preserve the animal. Colorful photographs enhance the large text. A list of additional resources in both print and electronic format is included. A colorful picture of the animal is on the cover, motivating a child to open the book to read about it. This series compares favorably to Grolier's 'Nature's Children' and is a welcome addition to any library. Teachers can use these books for additional resources when teaching animal units and children will enjoy the books for leisure reading and looking at the realistic pictures. Glossary. Index. Recommended."

[ Seals, Crocodiles ]-"These titles open with an overview of the featured animal, end with a look at its relationship with humans, and cover such basic topics as its food sources, hunting habits, mobility, and natural predators in between. Seals differentiate between true and eared seal through skeletal diagrams and photographs; describes the various freshwater and saltwater species; and explains their varied diets, which range from krill and conger eels to penguins and crabs. Crocodiles distinguishes the varied snouts that identify alligators, caimans, and gharials; tells of the great care that a mother crocodile shows toward her young (in great contrast to the role of some mother seals); and illustrates crocodilian locomotion on land and in water. Both authors explain the direct and indirect role of humans in the lives of these creatures, from the harmful effect of polluted water to beneficial changes in hunting laws, which have allowed these populations to increase. Striking, full-page photos and useful range maps, accompanied by clear, short sentences and easily found definitions, provide budding naturalists or young report writers with solid introductory resources."

[ Lizards, Snakes ]-"Illustrations and text are skillfully blended in these broad introductions. Each large-print text briefly describes basic reptile characteristics; the major physical and behavioral characteristics of its subject animals; and special traits, diets, and geographical locations of eight particular species. Each one also gives an overview of how the animals are viewed in the folklore and mythology of different cultures, and outlines their relationship with humankind today. One or two sharp, full-color photographs appear on about every other page, and extended picture captions supplement the texts. More than two dozen species are depicted in Lizards and a diagram of basic anatomy is provided. Snakes shows over a dozen species and offers several diagrams-two on anatomical features, one on locomotion. A few boxed inserts with miscellaneous facts also appear sporadically in each title. Both texts have appealing formats, and are well organized and clearly written; most scientific terms are defined as they appear. While these titles cover much the same general information as Sudan Schafer's Lizards (Benchmark, 2001), Claudia Schnieper's Snakes (Carolrhoda, 1995), and Sandra Markle's Outside and Inside Snakes (Atheneum, 1995), Mattern's and Ruth's titles focus more on the characteristics of individual species and describe them in more detail. Libraries with a heavy demand for materials on these popular reptiles will find these books to be useful additions."

[ Giraffes, Penguins ]-"These fact-filled books will delight readers. Jango-Cohen covers the featured animals' discovery, how they were given their scientific name, their habitat, food consumption, mating, variety of species, and survival in nature. Both good and bad human interactions are explained in the last chapters. Helpful glossaries and sources of additional information through books, videos, and Web sites are included. Large, captioned color photos are eye-catching and depict the species in their natural habitats. The map in Penguins is potentially confusing since it's drawn from the vantage point of the South Pole and only shows the lower segments of South America, Africa, and Australia. Nonetheless, these colorful titles will be a hit with animal lovers and report writers."

[ Whales, Elephants ]-"Weighing 300 pounds and more than three tons respectively when they are born, elephants and whales can be intimidating, but these books, in the Animals Animals series use colorful photographs and interesting text to make their subjects seem less intimidating. Each volume explores habitat, members, behavior, and mating habits, and also takes a look at the animal's future. Simple graphics and well-designed tables are used to convey more complex information-for example, details about environment and migration habits. Books in the series will appeal to animal lovers in general, as well as children focused on finding specific information about a subject. A glossary and links to print and Internet sites are appended. Other volumes are cited in the Series Roundup in this issue."

"Engaging color photos illustrate these attractive introductions. The writing is lively, and the large print will appeal to the less able readers in this age group. After describing habitat, food, life cycle, mating, and care of young, each book ends with a chapter on human threats. Busy backgrounds make the sidebars in Lions and Elephants difficult to read."

[ Series ]-"This series of wonderful books has striking cover art without and superlative animal photography within. The well-written text is perfectly crafted for beginning readers, with large-font, short chapters, easy words, interesting statistics and many full-page photos. Each book shows the animal's complete life cycle and behavior habits (tigers, bears, chimpanzees, elephants, lions and whales) along with detailed illustrations of their habitats, food types and sources. Up-close and very sharp, the photographs in this series have been selected from some of the best wildlife photographers in the world. The books also touch on how man has had an impact on these creatures and what is being done to protect and promote them. Included is a glossary, references (web and print) and index."