(3) 4-6 Edge Books: Real-Life Dragons series. Striking close-up photographs in this high-interest series volume reveal unusually shaped saltwater creatures known as sea dragons; all three species (leafy, weedy, and ruby) are classified as fish and found along coastal Australia. The book clearly details the unique features and habits that distinguish these rare creatures from sea horses and pipefish and briefly touches on conservation. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 First Facts: Animal Rulers series. This series showcases predators that dominate their food chains. Each book briefly describes characteristics that help creatures--such as the scorpion (Deserts), Bengal tiger (Jungles), and great white shark (Oceans)--not only survive but rule their habitats. The small volumes offer vivid photographs and interesting content; fact sidebars and same-page vocabulary definitions are helpful design elements. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these First Facts: Animal Rulers titles: Kings of the Deserts, Kings of the Jungles, and Kings of the Oceans.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) K-3 First Facts: Faceless, Spineless, and Brainless Ocean Animals series. With their full-page color photographs and spacious text formatting, these attractive books on marine invertebrates will fill elementary research needs. While the information provided is relatively superficial and it can be difficult to discern the body parts (polyp, bud, mouth, etc.) despite the labeling on some photos, libraries wanting basic introductions to these creatures could do worse. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these First Facts: Faceless, Spineless, and Brainless Ocean Animals titles: Jellyfish and Sea Anemones.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(4) K-3 First Facts: Faceless, Spineless, and Brainless Ocean Animals series. With their full-page color photographs and spacious text formatting, these attractive books on marine invertebrates will fill elementary research needs. While the information provided is relatively superficial and it can be difficult to discern the body parts (polyp, bud, mouth, etc.) despite the labeling on some photos, libraries wanting basic introductions to these creatures could do worse. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these First Facts: Faceless, Spineless, and Brainless Ocean Animals titles: Jellyfish and Sea Anemones.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) K-3 First Facts: Underground Safari series. Nine two-page sections introduce a few species that live in the earth's soil, including worms, mole crickets, and some spiders. Text on the left-hand pages briefly describes how creatures function; color photos on the right-hand pages show them close up. "Dig In!" boxes give some specific facts (Australian "termites build mounds" up to seventeen feet tall). Common Core questions are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) K-3 First Facts: Underground Safari series. Nine two-page sections introduce underground, edible plant parts; explain the difference between shoots and roots, bulbs and tubers; and tell how bacteria and microbes enrich the soil. Left-hand pages have short paragraphs of text; right-hand pages have clear, close-up photos of plant parts. "Dig In!" boxes add quirky facts (e.g., peanuts are legumes not true nuts). Common Core questions are appended. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Blazers: Disgusting Creature Diets series. For those who like to read about blood, guts, and bodily excretions, these books offer vivid photographs and brief explanations of animal behaviors associated with the consumption of those substances. Squeamish readers will want to stay well away, and those looking for more than superficial coverage will need to look elsewhere, but this series has undeniable appeal for gross-out loving browsers. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Blazers: Disgusting Creature Diets titles: Carcass Chewers of the Animal World and Poop and Puke Eaters of the Animal World.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(4) K-3 Blazers: Disgusting Creature Diets series. For those who like to read about blood, guts, and bodily excretions, these books offer vivid photographs and brief explanations of animal behaviors associated with the consumption of those substances. Squeamish readers will want to stay well away, and those looking for more than superficial coverage will need to look elsewhere, but this series has undeniable appeal for gross-out loving browsers. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Blazers: Disgusting Creature Diets titles: Carcass Chewers of the Animal World and Poop and Puke Eaters of the Animal World.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(4) K-3 Pebble Plus: Marine Mammals series. These books use simple, easy-to-read texts and large close-up photos to convey superficial information about two marine animals for beginning readers. Each spread features two or three large-type sentences and a colorful photo; four sections focus on size, habitat range, swimming technique, and life cycle. The books are slight but adequate first nonfiction readers. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Marine Mammals titles: California Sea Lions and Bottlenose Dolphins.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(4) 4-6 Fact Finders: Anatomy Class series. In each book, one-page introductions lead to four short chapters that take readers from the visible surface of the body into its core: the brain structures for Head and bone cross-sections for Skeleton. The simplistic texts are heavily illustrated with drawings, x-rays, and photographs that are not always well labeled. "Body Fact" trivia is included in text boxes. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Fact Finders: Anatomy Class titles: The Human Head and The Human Skeleton.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(4) K-3 Pebble Plus: Weird Animals series. Frogfish, with their "bumpy bodies" and bright colorings, make for engaging early science subjects. This volume shares basic information about the animal's features and explains how well suited it is to its environment. The text, though easy to read, can be vague ("Frogfish have weird body parts"). Photographs of a variety of spectacular-looking frogfish are the book's highlight. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Laura A. Woollett

(4) K-3 Pebble Plus: Weird Animals series. This book gives very basic information about the aye-aye's features and behavior and explains how this marsupial is well suited to its Madagascar treetop habitat. Unfortunately, the text can be vague, and the aye-aye's dark fur blends in with the background in some (repetitive) photos, making it difficult to distinguish the creature's distinctive long tail and clawlike hands. Reading list. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Laura A. Woollett

(4) K-3 Pebble Plus: African Animals series. These books provide readers with cursory introductions to the title animals. The texts are easy to read but fairly light on content ("Running makes cheetahs hot"). An attractive format with bright photographs of the animals and their environment on the right and well-spaced text on the left is a draw. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Pebble Plus: African Animals titles: Cheetahs and Meerkats.

Reviewer: Barbara Barstow

(4) K-3 First Facts: Whales and Dolphins Up Close series. This book introduces the largest member of the dolphin family, the orca whale. General physical characteristics, behaviors, and habitats of killer whales are presented in accessible but choppy statements. Vocabulary words are occasionally defined at the bottom of the pages. Children interested in ocean life will appreciate the many photographs, though some are blurry. Reading list., Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg