(2) K-3 Illustrated by Rob Dunlavey. When a whale dies, its body sinks to the ocean floor, and the end of its life marks the beginning of an entire new ecosystem composed of bottom-dwelling species. Stewart's restrained text steps through each phase in decomposition, noting how the whale's tissue serves as food for waves of scavengers and, over the course of several decades, allows a thriving ecosystem to develop. The featured species have quite elaborate names: hagfish and sleeper sharks arrive first, followed by roughscale rattails, snubnose eelpouts, and grooved tanner crabs, and then such "mini-munchers" as amphipods, Oregon hair crabs, hooded shrimp, and sea pigs. When only bones remain, zombie worms, and finally bacteria, complete their dissolution. Other equally interestingly named species feast on the scavengers, forming the chains and webs of organism relationships. Dunlavey's striking waterscapes gently portray death and the new life that flourishes in its aftermath, with inset close-ups that highlight the anatomical details of the smallest of the ocean creatures. End notes provide facts and figures about the animals and a list of resources to learn more about ocean environments.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jessica Lanan. An offstage narrator speaks directly to the moon, expressing thanks for the light it provides, and sometimes doesn't, to the inhabitants of Earth at night. Most animals (and one plant)--including such land animals as dung beetles and nightjars, and sea creatures, such as zooplankton and corals--benefit from the brighter phases, when moonlight allows them to see their food or a clear path to safety. Others, including lions and kangaroo rats, benefit from the darker phases, when a lack of light provides cover to sneak up on their prey or hide from their predators. An emotive main text ("Thank you for guiding tiny turtles to the sea") is accompanied by a secondary text where scientific explanations are detailed. The illustrations of moonlit land and seascapes are perfectly matched to both texts, including scientifically accurate representations of light interacting with the environment and changes in the moon across different lunar phases. The art also skillfully contrasts glowing light and tonal variations within darkness to emphasize the beauty of low-light landscapes. At the end of the book, two diagrams present the basics about moon phases and the path of reflected light from sun to moon to Earth. Facts about the featured animals are also included, as are selected sources and a brief bibliography.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Amy Hevron. Stewart follows a familiar pattern (see Sibert Honor Book Summertime Sleepers, rev. 7/21) of introducing a basic feature of animal life and then comparing and contrasting the ways in which animals adapt to these fundamentals. This time up, she's examining homes in trees, first by asking readers to identify with the inhabitants ("What would it be like to live inside a tree?") and then describing characterstics of such homes. For example, some homes are large (for barred owls) while others are small (deer mice). Some homes are built by the inhabitants (black-capped chickadees) while nature constructs others through, for example, tree-splitting lightning strikes (for little brown bats). Digitally rendered collages on wood panels depict the animals' routine activities as natural and authentic, perfectly matching the matter-of-fact, informative text. Appended with facts about the animals (including a memorable "fun fact" for each that ranges from the speed they travel to how they handle poop); a bibliography; and suggestions for further inquiry.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2022

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen. Kids know a thing or two about hibernation, but most will find a new concept in estivation--when creatures sleep during summer to avoid extreme heat or to conserve energy when their food sources are scarce. Parallels between these two animal behaviors are drawn right from the book's cover, where the word hibernate is crossed out over an image of a desert hedgehog sleeping soundly in a den, estivating when the sun is hottest. The book catalogs a wide range of estivation behaviors, from pixie frogs that cocoon themselves for a whole season to ladybugs that cuddle together in swarms of hundreds for their long summer sleep. Stewart's main text, a brief introduction to the concept, makes a great read-aloud, with text in smaller type providing additional details about each of the creatures we meet. Brannen's lush, textured watercolors show the estivating animals against detailed backgrounds that give an idea of their different native habitats. Sketches made to look as if they're ripped out of an observational notebook show the same creatures awake and provide additional scientific details. The back matter is strong, with information on each animal featured in the book, a comparison between estivation and hibernation, additional reading and sources, and author and illustrator notes.

Reviewer: Laura Koenig | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Stephanie Laberis. Featuring a handful of "underdogs" in the animal kingdom, this informative book is also intended to serve as an affirmation for young humans who feel like they just don't fit in. Creatures' seemingly negative attributes are identified and then explained for the lifesaving traits that they actually are. The digital illustrations are friendly and engaging and complement the chatty text. "More About the Underdogs" is appended. Bib.

Reviewer: Katie Darrin

(3) K-3 How do seeds move to their own space to grow? There are many ways, including flying, tumbling, floating, hooking onto something, or being eaten by an animal and excreted in a new place. Clear, vivid photographs complement the explanatory text, which limits its examination of the plant life cycle to focus specifically on how seeds travel. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Janet Dawson

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Higgins Bond. Stewart's updated text advocates strongly for fish conservation. Each double-page spread features a particular species (e.g., northern pike), along with a threat to its environment (power plants) and a vague solution ("find other ways to make electricity"). Bond's clear, vivid acrylic illustrations contribute to a handsome presentation. A few general fish facts are appended. Reading list, websites. Bib.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(4) K-3 National Geographic Readers series. Leveled for "starting to read," the text offers very basic information about a trio of predators (great white shark, cheetah, parrot snake). Clearly delineated headings introduce each subtopic (e.g., "It's a snake!"). Simple sentence structures--along with corny jokes ("What do cheetahs have that other predators don't? Baby cheetahs"), well-captioned photos, and sidebars--increase accessibility. Glos.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Steve Jenkins. Animal sounds are the focus of this high-interest book populated with Jenkins's arresting cut-paper animal collages, strikingly placed against plain white backgrounds. So "can an aardvark bark?" No, it grunts, and other animals grunt, too. In the what and why of squeals, bellows, and growls we detect the greetings, warnings, and territorial assertions of animal communication.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(3) K-3 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. Illustrated by André Ceolin. Stewart presents a basic definition of droughts and then clearly explains the gradual effects of droughts on plant and animal life. The efforts of scientists to understand their causes--and of citizens in drought-prone areas to conserve water--are also discussed. Evocative illustrations depict arid landscapes and friendly scientists and families acting responsibly in low-water conditions. Activities and conservation tips are appended. Websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. Illustrated by Julius Csotonyi. Readers familiar with T. rex are introduced to other members of the tyrannsaurids family, including Qianzhousaurus, or Pinocchio rex, a long-snouted dinosaur recently identified by paleontolgist co-author Brusatte. Each is portrayed on an overly busy layout that includes a main illustration of the dinosaur in its habitat, framed by a field guide–like "fact file" box, timeline, and sidebar quote from "Dr. Steve." Glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science series. Illustrated by Taia Morley. After explaining how hurricanes form, this volume explores the role of scientists tracking hurricanes and gives a toned-down description of conditions when a hurricane makes landfall. Although a few of the simplifications may cause confusion, the clear layout; dynamic, full-bleed, digitally enhanced watercolor illustrations; and plain, reassuring language will help readers understand this dramatic type of weather. Activities appended. Websites. Glos.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Sarah S. Brannen. The remarkable variety of birds' feathers is the focus of this beautifully illustrated volume. Feathers provide birds with warmth and cooling, protection from the sun, and the ability to fly, dig, swim, or glide. On each double-page spread, designed to evoke a bulletin board, a simple main text points out the primary functions of the featured feathers, while text boxes present specific facts.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2014

(3) K-3 Good Question! series. Facts about plants are presented in a question-and-answer format. There are a variety of topics: e.g., "What is a plant?"; "Why do some flowers smell bad?"; "Does a plant ever stop growing?" Each double-page spread presents one or two questions and answers along with a full-page illustration, labeled diagram, or color photo. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Good Question! series. Following the series' question-and-answer format, Hear presents facts about the senses (e.g., "How do your eyes work?"; "Can some animals hear sounds that people can't?"), and Brain is a surprisingly complete exploration of human anatomy (DNA, digestion, circulation, and more). Double-page spreads feature illustrations and labeled diagrams (Hear) or colorful photomicrographs and anatomical drawings (Brain) in accessible designs. Reading list, websites. Ind. Review covers these Good Question! titles: How Does the Ear Hear? and How Is My Brain like a Supercomputer?.

Reviewer: Gail Hedges

(3) K-3 Good Question! series. Facts about butterflies are presented in a question-and-answer format. There are a variety of topics: e.g., "How did the caterpillar get its name?"; "What is metamorphosis?"; "How is a butterfly different from a moth?" Each double-page spread presents one or two questions and answers along with a full-page illustration, labeled diagram, or color photo. A migration map is included. Reading list, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Constance R. Bergum. How creatures of various habitats utilize and cope with the heat of the sun--from children playing in a lawn sprinkler to salamanders burrowing into mud to a turkey vulture urinating on its legs--forms the narrative of this book. Detailed watercolors on triptych, diptych, and full-double-page spreads evocatively illustrate the creatures' fascinating phenomena; unfortunately, the human likenesses are much stiffer.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) K-3 American Museum of Natural History Easy Readers series. From fastest runners and swimmers to deep-water and desert dwellers, these volumes present some extreme traits and habitats of animals ranging from the familiar (cheetahs, polar bears) to the unusual (giant tubeworms, microscopic water bears). The striking color photographs and astounding facts delivered via engaging prose ("It can grab an insect faster than you can blink your eyes") will captivate beginning readers. Review covers these American Museum of Natural History Easy Readers titles: Extreme Survivors and World's Fastest Animals.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) K-3 National Geographic Readers series. In this leveled-reader introduction to robotics, Stewart describes the purpose and functions of many different types of mechanical robots (as well as a few famous movie characters), emphasizing the ways in which they move, the tasks that they perform, and where research may take the field in the near future. Fascinating photos and engaging text are displayed on brightly colored layouts. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(4) K-3 Zoom In on Insects! series. Each book in this series focuses on the body parts, home, and life cycle of a familiar bug. Two color photos of both the entire insect and a magnified view of eyes, antennae, wings, tongues, or eggs appear on each spread, while brief text with enthusiastic ("Now that's fast!") but sometimes unspecific language offers accessible descriptions. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Zoom in on Insects! titles: Zoom in on Bees, Zoom in on Butterflies, Zoom in on Dragonflies, Zoom in on Fireflies, Zoom in on Grasshoppers, and Zoom in on Ladybugs.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden