National Geographic Little Kids First Big Book of Birds

October 1, 2016

PreS-Gr 3-Parents, teachers, and curious children will be fascinated by this excellent introduction to birds. The chapter divisions reflect the features and behavior of a broad range of birds. End-of-chapter games and interactive questions encourage children to personally engage with the subject matter, while the "Parent Tips" section provides activity ideas and further resources. Sidebars with basic information about specific avian species also show the scale of those birds by depicting the animals next to a child's hand. Subject headings, a wealth of fact boxes, a glossary, and an index make this a great choice for teaching nonfiction text features. Use a small section for read-alouds or storytime and then encourage children to pore over the pages on their own. VERDICT Lush nature photography, concise language, a large print size, and a browsable layout: this offering is ideal for home, school, and library use.-Rachel Anne Mencke, St. Matthew's Parish School, Pacific Palisades, CA

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