How Do Animals Use Their Five Senses?

PreS-Gr 2—Instructive text and cheerful, cartoonish artwork are well paired in this educational series. Though the works include fictional characters Kate and Jack, who investigate the selected topics, the focus is more on streaming factual material than building a plot. The scope of each book is brief, but the writing is peppered with fascinating tidbits; for instance, in Five Senses readers learn butterflies can taste with their feet. In Animals Live, students are introduced to select places where animals make their homes, such as nests, trees, and the sea, while Different Colors showcases how animals might use color to attract a mate, find food, or defend themselves. The important relationship between the sun and the earth is covered in Weather and Seasons. Each title deftly defines terminology using language appropriate for new learners. The sprightly illustrations add personality, represent a variety of animals and animal habitats, and capture Kate and Jack interacting with animals and their environments. Packaging among the volumes is consistent. Each includes a parents' guide offering more depth to the covered content.