My Animal Book

PreS-Gr 2—This oversize picture book contains amusing activities and some rudimentary facts. Featuring bright, colorful cartoon illustrations, the book covers the difference between living and nonliving things, as well as animal groups and parts, what animals eat, and animal families. However, it doesn't provide in-depth content on any particular species. For example, "How do animals survive?" lists several general examples, including a polar bear relying on thick fur and a layer of fat to deal with the cold weather and fish swimming in schools to avoid predators. Interspersed among the information are games ("Let's have an animal sound party!"), craft projects ("Make shadow animals"), search and find pages ("Spot the swimming see creatures"), and even recipes ("Make animal pancakes"). The book's standard nonfiction features along with its sparse, accessible text make it ideal for browsers, while a "How to Use This Book" page will help children figure out where they'll need adult guidance. An additional purchase.—Nancy Jo Lambert, McSpedden Elementary Frisco, TX