Cave of Crystals

April 1, 2021

Gr 3-4-Each title explores natural creations of the world. Three chapters of eight pages long contain a page of text with a corresponding colorful photograph sometimes alongside a sidebar fact or labeled diagram. Primary sources about the natural attraction are included with critical thinking questions, and suggestions for further research are provided via online resources to connect to the chapter readings. The final pages include a map of where the landform can be found, glossary, further reading material, and index. The geographic information of each landform and its importance in culture, such as the rock formation Uluru to the Anangu people (Uluru) is described with care. While not every reader has the ability to do the online activities, they give students another way to connect to the text and do research using primary and secondary sources. VERDICT A well-rounded introduction to using resources and to the naturally engineered wonders on Earth.

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April 1, 2021
Grades 3-5 While it looks like something from a sci-fi movie, the dramatic locale featured in this Engineered by Nature (8 titles) entry is very much of this world. Discovered beneath Mexico's Sierra de Naica mountain in 2000, the Cave of Crystals is filled with gargantuan white selenite crystals, larger than scientists thought possible to form, with some reaching lengths of 36 feet and weights of 60 tons. The clearly written text is divided into three chapters that explain the extreme conditions required for the crystals to form and how the cave was discovered and studied. The book's clean page design incorporates impressive (helpfully captioned) photographs, a map, an infographic, and a primary-source quote paired with a critical-thinking question. A publisher-hosted link to age-appropriate activities and learning extensions complete the tidy package.

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