(4) K-3 Illustrated by Essi Kimpimäki. The informative text of this series entry asks readers basic questions about life on a farm. Shining light behind recto pages reveals animals, buildings, and plants hidden in each full-color picture. Turning the page reveals the black-and-white image answer. While text from each verso page unfortunately shows through, the flashlight gimmick should engage young readers. A final spread provides additional facts about farm life.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(4) 4-6 Closer Look At series. Grasslands discusses types of grasslands, grasses as food, and the impact of farming and ranching. Deserts looks at plant and animal life, archaeological finds, and deserts around the world. The cramped design, which includes sidebars and small, captioned color photos and artwork, make these books visually confusing. Packed with information, the books lend themselves to browsing. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Cindy Lombardo