(4) K-3 Cloverleaf Books: Nature's Patterns series. Illustrated by Mike Moran. Ms. McLean's class goes on a zoo field trip; Mr. Andre's class walks in the park and nearby woods. In both outings, the students observe similarities in nature. Though the fictional stories are slight and the illustrations cartoony, both books present accessible introductions to their topics and to using the scientific method. Each book concludes with a related activity. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Cloverleaf Books: Nature's Patterns titles: Do Chicks Ask for Snacks? and Do Trees Get Hungry?.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) K-3 Cloverleaf Books: Nature's Patterns series. Illustrated by Christine M. Schneider. Ms. Ling's class solves mysteries involving missing ice and disappearing puddles. Mr. Davis's class observes wind and temperature patterns to learn about forecasting. Though the fictional stories are slight and the illustrations cartoony, both books present accessible introductions to their topics and to using the scientific method. A related activity is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Cloverleaf Books: Nature's Patterns titles: When Will it Rain? and Why do Puddles Disappear?.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) K-3 Cloverleaf Books: Nature's Patterns series. Illustrated by Holli Conger. Ms. Ling's class solves mysteries involving missing ice and disappearing puddles. Mr. Davis's class observes wind and temperature patterns to learn about forecasting. Though the fictional stories are slight and the illustrations cartoony, both books present accessible introductions to their topics and to using the scientific method. A related activity is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Cloverleaf Books: Nature's Patterns titles: When Will it Rain? and Why do Puddles Disappear?.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) K-3 Cloverleaf Books: Nature's Patterns series. Illustrated by Holli Conger. Mr. Cruz's class takes a beginning look at astronomy. Their teacher emphasizes observation and demonstrates relationships among the earth, sun, and moon with a globe and flashlight. Though the fictional story is slight and the illustrations cartoony, this book presents an accessible introduction to patterns in astronomy. The volume concludes with a related activity. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) K-3 Cloverleaf Books: Nature's Patterns series. Illustrated by Mike Moran. These slight overviews introduce the plant (in Dirt) and animal inhabitants of these environments in simple sentences and vivid photographs. The scattershot texts share random observations, including "We eat some roots" and "Tree frogs jump." The choppy texts are occasionally misleading, but these books would work as simple reading exercises. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Little Pebble: What's in There? titles: What's in a Tree; What's in the Dirt?.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) K-3 Cloverleaf Books: Nature's Patterns series. Illustrated by Christine M. Schneider. The kids in Ms. Sampson's class learn that "different materials [are used] for different purposes" and find patterns ("something that happens again and again") when they locate objects made of similar materials. Though the story is slight and the illustrations cartoony, this accessible presentation will help young readers learn about observation and testing, introducing them to the scientific method. An activity is appended. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo