Meet a Baby Chimpanzee

November 1, 2015

K-Gr 2-Each volume opens with the birth of an African animal and concludes with a mature animal. In between, topical chapters focus on diet, development, and habitat, muddling the progression of ages and stages. Overall, the writing is uneven, with awkward phrasing and grammar. Layout and color choices follow the format of this ongoing series. The photos miss opportunities to support the text: the books include almost exclusively full-body shots of the animals rather than close-ups. Elephants includes images of Asian elephants at least twice but never clarifies that there are two species. The African continent is mentioned only in the range map at the end of each title. Back matter includes "Habitat in Focus" and "Fun Facts" pages, which largely repeat information found earlier. VERDICT Readers may find these offerings confusing.

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