Rivers

November 1, 2012

Gr 2-4-These overviews provide basic information. Food-web diagrams reveal relationships among plants and animals within the habitats. However, the clear, color photographs do not always best represent the text and sometimes additional diagrams or images would be helpful. For example, a spread on "Arctic Food Webs" in Polar, unlike the entry for "Antarctic Food Webs," has no diagram. More attention to detail, especially in selecting and labeling photos, would have lifted these books above the ordinary. In Grasslands, it's odd that the author does not include where Gouldian finches eat grass seed after a fire. And in Mountains, why not mention the country with terraced agriculture? After discussing threats to the habitat, the authors suggest ways to help. Among them are to adopt an animal (only Polar gives a specific resource), "Join a conservation group," and "Be energy wise." Overall, these are acceptable starting points for reports.

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