(4) K-3 Photographs by Patrick J. Endres. Alaska native Miller's affectionate portrait of the state's grizzly and coastal brown bears thoroughly but meanderingly covers habitat, physical attributes, hunting behavior and diet, and hibernation. Though not supported by a glossary, important phrases and words appear in bold. The book is most notable for Endres's impressive photographs of the creatures in breathtaking Alaskan landscapes. Discussion questions and activities are included.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jon Van Zyle. In this engaging fictionalized account of a real salmon's two-thousand-mile journey from the Bering Sea up the Yukon River, Chinook avoids predators and reaches her spawning grounds. Young scientists may appreciate the text boxes of data (e.g., fish's speed, depth, river mile) received from Chinook's radio transmitter along the route. The art adeptly conveys the hazards and scenery of Alaska and Canada. Authors' notes are appended. Glos.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jon Van Zyle. When sudden rain refreshes central Australia's long-dry Simpson Desert, dormant seeds and estivating creatures emerge, absorb or lap up water, and sprout or reproduce in a new rush of life. Extreme conditions don't deter the desert's well-adapted creatures from survival in this difficult habitat. Double-page spreads of realistic wildlife paintings, bright-white superimposed text, and present-tense narration add immediacy. Reading list, websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jon Van Zyle. Despite the harsh environment, many animals survive and thrive in Alaska's Arctic National Park and Preserve. With vivid descriptions, both scientific and poetic, Miller details the fauna's skillful preparations that help them make it through the winter. Acrylic illustrations in largely muted colors help convey the severity of the season. Reading list, websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Betsy Murray

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jon Van Zyle. Miller chronicles the daylight hours through a year near Fairbanks, Alaska, describing how people and animals adapt their activities to sunlight and temperature fluctuations in this part of the world. Colorful acrylic art illustrates such concepts as blinks, alpenglow, sundogs, and northern lights, and the text explains how the sun's position relative to the tilting earth produces varying periods of night and day. Glos.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jon Van Zyle. In 1925, a diptheria outbreak threatened the town of Nome, Alaska. Miller dramatically recounts the heroic efforts of several sled dog teams that participated in the grueling relay to transport serum from Anchorage to Nome. The acrylic paintings ably convey the extreme weather conditions. Notes about various dogs, mushers, and the commemorative Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race are appended. Bib.

Reviewer: Hilary Breed Van Dusen

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Stacey Schuett. Short sentences about tree parts and characteristics make analogies to human body parts and behavior. Some comparisons, such as bark to skin, focus on functionality; others are less scientific ("the trees burst with new life, just like you burst out the door...and celebrate spring") but may spark discussion. Warm acrylic and gouache illustrations show trees from different parts of the world. Additional information is appended.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jon Van Zyle. In measured, readable prose, this book recounts how a family of woolly mammoths might have spent a year near the end of the Ice Age. Led by the fifty-year-old matriarch Wise One, with a slight tinge of anthropomorphizing, the animals travel, rest, eat, play, defend themselves, and mate. Detailed illustrations are impressively textured, and an appended fact page adds data.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Jon Van Zyle. Harlequin ducks, ravens, mosquitoes, and salmon, among other wildlife, are briefly mentioned in this observation of a southern Alaskan river and are described in greater detail, along with their roles in the ecosystem, in a glossary at the back of the book. A smiling, nameless boy in the background detracts from the realistic oil illustrations in this otherwise simple look at a river throughout the seasons.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey