April 1, 2017
Gr 3-5-Each title introduces 11 species, focusing on adaptive characteristics and behaviors of particular interest, ranging from the tentacles of the box jellyfish to termite mounds. Eye-catching layouts feature darkly colored backgrounds and large photos, with an uncluttered placement of text and insets. A couple of paragraphs describe one or two key facets of the featured animal, with a few related facts included. Information about the frilled lizard's defense methods, for example, is supported by insets describing the frill's size and the lizard's hunting strategies, along with a useful umbrella analogy. Most of the photographs depict the particular adaptation effectively, though some examples are more generic. VERDICT Strong visuals, solid organization, and topical focus make this an easy choice for browsers.
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