Who Lives Here? Polar Animals

April 1, 2008
Realistic illustrations of polar animals fill the pages of this small, square title in the Who Lives Here? series. Each double-page spread introduces a new creaturethe arctic fox, the emperor penguinand matches pictures of varying size to small snippets of text that offer basic facts about how the animal lives in its frozen homeland. Not all of the definitions are clear; its never explained where polar regions are on the globe, for example, or what makes tundra unique. The pictures that highlight the specifics of adaptation, such as a close-up of a penguins tightly knit feathers or a cross section of a belugas blubber, are neatly presented, and the easily accessed facts and attractive pictures make this a good supplement for units on the North and South Poles. Pair this with Aaron Frischs Tundra, reviewed below, for more coverage of the Arctic environment where many of these featured animals make their homes.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)