Blue Jays

April 1, 2018
Grades K-3 These simple, level-3 readers in the North American Animals series offer an introduction to both common and unusual wildlife, illustrated with eye-catching and appropriate photos. Rathburn's writing is likewise informative and interesting, more so than many books at this reading level. The feature that really makes these books stand out, though, is their helpful infographics. Two graphics ( On the Menu and Animals to Avoid ) cover the standard topics of the animal's food and predators. Another offers a useful size comparison between a standard-size animal and adult human. Best of all, one graphic zeros in on specific features, illustrated in small photos, that allow the reader to identify the animal. For example, the feature in Blue Jays shows the birds' blue feathers, black bill, and crest feathers. Only one graphic, the range map, is a little confusing, because the red range color is easily confused with the red color for extinct or the orange for endangered on the endangerment thermometer that shares a similar space. Overall, though, these books offer an excellent introduction to North American animal life.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)