(3) K-3 Illustrated by William Low. Guiberson presents information about thirteen dinosaur and prehistoric bird species that had feathers and/or other birdlike features such as wishbones, beaks, stones in their gizzards, and brooding behaviors. Each entry emphasizes characteristics that reflect the evolution of avian dinosaurs. Large, full-spread oil and acrylic paintings illustrations show the creatures in action in their habitats and draw on scientific evidence for actual feather colors. Bib.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gennady Spirin. Fourteen diverse animal species claim to be the world's deadliest creature. Each animal declares its name in capital letters, and then briefly provides clear, descriptive, and compelling evidence as to why it deserves the title. Close-up spreads done in tempera, watercolor, and pencil heighten the fearsomeness of each creature. Readers are invited to debate which animal is most deserving.

Reviewer: Grace Enriquez

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gennady Spirin. Thirteen sea creatures describe their unique looks and habits, and ask readers to decide which is most amazing: e.g., the box jellyfish with twenty-four eyes and no brain or the leatherback sea turtle that can hold its breath for eighty-five minutes? Paintings in yellow-greenish tones evoke the denizens' mysterious underwater habitat. An author's note with a conservationist slant is appended. Websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Gennady Spirin. Here a dozen dinosaurs compete for the title of "greatest dinosaur that ever lived" by giving their credentials, from the Sauroposeidon as the tallest and biggest herbivore to the Microraptor as the smallest of all. The compact, information-light text is dwarfed by Spirin's lavish, detailed paintings--a double-spread for each candidate. The package includes pronunciation keys and concludes with a fact page. Bib.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gennady Spirin. Profiles of eleven frogs and toads from worldwide locales touch on microhabitat, physical features, and nurturing behavior, while onomatopoeic text describes their songs. What could have been a sterile catalog is instead a graceful, accurate ode, matched and extended by Spirin's painstakingly detailed illustrations of amphibians in lush settings. Additional facts and a plea for clean frog environments conclude the volume. Websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(2) 4-6 Ten chapters that read like well-documented magazine articles cover a series of disasters, beginning chronologically with smallpox and concluding with Hurricane Katrina. Each opens by providing brief historical context and concludes with lasting consequences. Even though several of these catastrophes appear to be the work of nature, the careless hand of humankind is also evident. Archival photographs illustrate the events. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2010

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Chad Wallace. Guiberson's New-Agey text touches on ways global warming is disrupting different animals' habitats and food chains. On opposite pages, Wallace's illustrations suggest the sickly heat overtaking the earth. Who can help? "PEOPLE CAN!" A final page of suggestions (recycle, turn off the lights) doesn't specifically speak to the animals' plights.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Ed Young. A hungry moon bear emerges from "a long winter snooze" to explore her Himalayan home before winter returns yet again. As the bear introduces readers to her habitat, Young's bold yet comforting collage illustrations and Guiberson's lyrical question-and-answer text prompt logical, satisfying page turns. Back matter details the plight of Asiatic black bears in captivity.

Reviewer: Amy Cherrix

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gennady Spirin. Presenting a year's cycle of life in a boreal forest, this book features Spirin's remarkably detailed paintings of plants and animals, from winter's hibernating bears to spring's pitcher plants. Guiberson uses onomatopoeia on almost every page, and the sounds (Scritch, scritch!) help bring the taiga to life. She also emphasizes the integrated ecology of the forest and the threats to it. Websites.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Ilya Spirin. This story follows two polar bear cubs in their first year of life. While the book doesn't directly discuss the effects of global warming, this is the underlying issue, as revealed in Guiberson's appended note. Spirin's expressive illustrations convey both the power and appeal of the bears, along with their habitat and the other animals and plants of the region. Websites.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2009

(3) K-3 The life cycle of a flamingo is followed from his beginnings as an egg in the salty Bahamian mud flats through his gray-feathered growing-up years, until he finds a mate and they build a nest. The facts are effectively worked into the fictional story and accompanied by realistic illustrations.

Reviewer: Susan Halperin

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Steve Jenkins. As a sloth moves slowly and deliberately up and down his tree, he comes upon fascinating plants and animals such as bromeliads and a poison-dart frog. Each encounter with another organism establishes a link in the ecosystem, illustrating complex interactions in one small area of the rainforest. Both Guiberson's text and Jenkins's cut-paper pictures are similarly packed with detail.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2004

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Joan Paley. Guiberson packs a great deal of information into this well-paced story of emperor penguins and their young, focusing on the remarkable ways in which the penguins tend their eggs through the harsh Antarctic winters. The hand-painted paper collages imagine Antarctica in rather broad strokes. This is an attractive choice for story hour if not a primary resource on the science shelf.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2002

(3) 4-6 This book presents nautical lore with a supernatural spin, including stories of Blackbeard and other pirates who have appeared as ghosts, alleged sea monsters of past and present, and haunted lighthouses and ships. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs and adequate spot art, the book is written in a smooth style with reader-enticing transitions between chapters. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 4-6 Delivering a strong message without finger-wagging, Guiberson explains how an ecosystem's natural balance is disrupted by non-native species. Chapters illustrated with captioned color photos examine five examples--starlings, kudzu, zebra mussels, Hawaii's native species, and mountain goats--discussing how the exotic species was introduced; why it thrived and now threatens the balance; and what, if anything, can be done to control it. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Emma Loy-Santelli

(4) 4-6 Redfeather Chapter Book series. After a brief history of mummies, Guiberson discusses a number of North American mummies, both those made by nature and those made by humans, and explains how they have helped us understand the period in which they lived. The text is repetitive, but readers interested in the subject will be drawn in by the intriguing stories and information. Black-and-white photos and drawings illustrate the book. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn