Octopuses

November 1, 2017

Gr 2-4-The focus of these sea creature profiles is on physical characteristics, with some data about behavior and life cycles. In Sea Horses, for example, readers learn how the animal's tail, ridges, eyes, and pouch help it thrive. The progression of facts doesn't always flow smoothly from one spread to the next, but the information is generally engaging. Photos are often quite effective. In Octopuses, for instance, images of suction cups and color changing are visually striking, though the depiction of the animal's home is less successful. Of the four titles, Flying Fish is overly vague, lacking substantial information about habitat and size, though this is an animal not often covered in children's books. VERDICT Acceptable choices where subject coverage is needed.

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