Garbage Can: Look Inside

K-Gr 2—These introductions explore habitats top to bottom. A table of contents diagram identifies four distinct strata (for example, a tide pool is divided into "At the Top," "On the Rocks," "In the Water," and "Rock Bottom"), and goes on to examine three animals that eat, reproduce, or live at each level. This artificial division usually works, but in Garbage Can it falters; many of the inhabitants are more typically found in a compost pile than the garbage cans most readers are familiar with. Captioned color photographs with images of each animal and an occasional label support the texts closely. Rare species of fish, mammals, birds, and insects are introduced, but intrigued young researchers may struggle to find further facts about them. The final spreads offer additional general information about each habitat, including facts about more animals, safety tips, or seasonal influences.