Animal Athletics

Gr 3–5—These titles arrive just in time for the swell of interest in all things Olympics. Each selection begins with a brief introduction to the general sport category and then covers five distinct events, including the three animal medal winners for each. Strength and Combat Sports, for example, includes weight lifting, fencing, boxing, archery, and wrestling. Comparing five broad groups of animals—birds, fish, invertebrates, reptiles and amphibians, and mammals—isn't easy, and the criteria and reasoning used to identify winners are fuzzy at times. A common concluding chapter reminds readers that the animals' behaviors and body features are adaptations meant for survival, not for competition. Photos work with the text and include labels when needed. Unfortunately, the "Medal Table" sections in Athletics and Strength are seriously flawed, provoking either a tabulation lesson or confusion.