(3) K-3 Illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. In this companion to Hello, Baby Beluga, Lunde informs readers about wallaroos, a kind of kangaroo, in a simple direct-address question-answer format, with one exchange per double-page spread: "Mama Wallaroo, how tall are you?" "I am about three feet tall." A final smaller-print spread provides additional wallaroo facts. Pale browns, grays, and greens dominate the quiet illustrations, set in the Australian bush.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) PS Illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. Repeating the refrain, "Monkeys come in many colors," every few pages, this minimal text lists color attributes of twelve species of monkeys. Four pages of back matter provide a bit more about the animals, and a world map indicates on which continent each lives. There's not much information here, but the cleanly rendered ink and watercolor illustrations are engaging.

Reviewer: Lela Nargi

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. Lunde delivers facts about baby beluga whales in a simple direct-address question-answer format, almost as if a child is conducting a casual interview with a candid young whale: "Hello, swimming animal. What is your name?" One smaller-print spread at the end gives additional beluga facts. Cool blues, whites, and grays dominate the illustrations, which showcase the happy calf in its arctic surroundings.

Reviewer: Sethany Rancier Alongi

(3) K-3 Step into Reading series. Illustrated by Patricia Wynne. This easy reader provides lots of information about various types of sharks, beginning with the fact that sharks were around during prehistoric times ("There are no more dinosaurs left on earth. But there are still plenty of sharks"). Simple vocabulary and sentence structure makes the text accessible without sacrificing dramatic tension. Copious shark illustrations effectively demonstrate scale and level of ferocity.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. Wadsworth covers the life cycle of the garden spider, beginning with the hatching of hundreds of spiderlings. The text is informative and poetic ("Finally this sister spills out, followed by her siblings, tiny dots almost too small to see. Hungry spiderlings wobble into the welcoming sun"). Close-up mixed-media illustrations provide an additional level of detail. An informative author's note is appended.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. This informative text first highlights common characteristics of marine mammals, such as their streamlined bodies, mechanisms for breathing and storing oxygen, and how they learn to swim, then discusses various types of mammals, including whales, walruses, sea otters, and polar bears. Sea-toned illustrations and factual asides provide additional details. Glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. These books offer basic information about meerkats and bumblebee bats. Each spread includes a simply worded question directed to the animal ("Little Meerkat, where do you live?") and its concise, easy-to-read answer. Lively supporting watercolor, ink, and colored-pencil illustrations manage to be both lighthearted and accurate in their representations of the animals and their habitats. Additional facts are appended. Review covers these titles: Hello, Bumblebee Bat and Meet the Meerkat.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. These books offer basic information about meerkats and bumblebee bats. Each spread includes a simply worded question directed to the animal ("Little Meerkat, where do you live?") and its concise, easy-to-read answer. Lively supporting watercolor, ink, and colored-pencil illustrations manage to be both lighthearted and accurate in their representations of the animals and their habitats. Additional facts are appended. Review covers these titles: Hello, Bumblebee Bat and Meet the Meerkat.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. Two cartoon mice guide readers through the Hall of Human Origins at the American Museum of Natural History. Each overly crowded double-page spread features a brief explanation of topics such as evolution, DNA, and early humans. Readers who can navigate the dizzying array of diagrams, dialogue bubbles, and captioned photographs will learn some solid information. Glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. A queen bee emerges in spring and begins the process of colony building and reproduction. Sayre tells the bee's story in the main text and provides additional facts in separate areas. The clear, close-up illustrations depict the fuzzy bees in their farmland habitat. Further information about bees, including tips on observation and facts about pollination, is appended. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2005

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. This well-organized volume clearly, simply, and uncondescendingly explains bird flight, with such subtopics as feathers, wings, taking off, flapping, hovering, gliding, steering, and landing. Careful, artistic illustrations range from many types of birds performing a particular maneuver to cutaways and close-ups of bird anatomy. A guess-the-bird feature concludes the book. Reading list. Glos.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian