Arctic Food Chains

April 1, 2016

Gr 2-4-This set is dedicated to introducing young readers to the concept of biomes. Opening chapters describe each biome in general terms, followed by brief examples of plants and animals and their respective roles within the chain, with closer looks at specific steps from producer to decomposer. The Prairie Food Chains sequence, for instance, includes grass, a prairie dog, a badger, and worms. A second example presents four horizontal images of steps in a chain, with numbers and arrows showing the progression. This varied repetition, supported by examples, builds on the main concept simply but effectively. The absence of more complex topics, such as food webs, matches the deliberately basic level of learning. Well-chosen photos depict hunting and eating without too much gore and feature helpful labels of the animal's food chain role plus a simple food chain diagram. VERDICT Basic but well-conceived introductions to the topic.

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