The Fish in Our Class

April 1, 2012

K-Gr 3-Although these books are billed as titles to read to students preparing for a class pet, their format limits their use to a few viewers at a time so they can see the photos, maps, and diagrams. Basic facts about the featured animals in their wild environments and requirements for food, housing, and care are incorporated into a story about a teacher and her class. Some information about anatomy and life cycle is included. The series' value is marred by curious lapses, such as the discrepancies between the aquarium described in the text and the one shown in the accompanying photo in Frog. The comparison in Hamster between gerbils and hamsters indicates that the former would make better pets, so one has to wonder why the publisher didn't do a book on gerbils.

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