Mutants in Nature

November 1, 2015

Gr 2-4-This series draws parallels among animals and superheroes and monsters, with limited success. A few sentences of text, accompanied by a photograph, explore unusual features or behaviors. Some connections, such as the blood-sucking practices of mosquitoes and vampire bats, fit neatly. Others are more tenuous, such as when the platypus's sixth sense is compared to Spider-Man's. At times analogies are stretched to the point of inaccuracy: a honey badger's skin is not "as tough as Iron Man's armor." Jumping quickly from one animal to the next results in some lack of clarity. Though many photographs are visually impressive, several are standard full-body photos that don't highlight the animal's featured ability. Added facts appear in a question-and-answer format at the bottom of some spreads. VERDICT There are plenty of fascinating bits of animal information throughout the series, particularly in Zombies and Super Powers, but the sometimes scattered presentation limits its general usefulness.

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