National Geographic Readers

June 1, 2013
Grades K-2 Beginning readers won't have to choose between baby tigers, giraffes, orangutans, and seals, because each is featured in a short chapter here. When a tiger mother refuses to look after her cubs, zookeepers step in to feed them. Meanwhile, a vet treats a three-day-old, five-foot giraffe with an infection, and an orangutan foster mother cares for a baby orangutan. In other chapters, experts rescue a seal pup as well as various backyard animals in trouble. Illustrated with many high-quality photos, the text provides intriguing details as well as general information. On the Dos and Don'ts page, the emphasis on what not to do indicates the book's practical approach. Naming the appended question-and-answer page Stump Your Parents is another savvy move. With the double appeal of animal babies and animal rescue, this volume from the National Geographic Readers series will find a ready audience. Other recent books in the series include Polar Bears and Monkeys.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)