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4-6
Edge Books: Bug Wars series.
Comparing and "rating" two insect species by their physical features, each book in this science-based series imagines the opponents fighting "to the death." The gimmicky text emphasizes such words as threat, attack, and defense, and includes "Fierce Fact" sidebars; magnified photos of insect "weaponry" (pincers, stingers, fangs, and venom) are featured throughout. The "battle" then occurs in cinematic present tense. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Edge Books: Bug Wars titles: Scorpion vs. Centipede and Praying Mantis vs. Giant Hornet.
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K-3
First Step Nonfiction: Backyard Critters series.
New readers get an introduction to nonfiction with this attractive series about common backyard creepy-crawlies. The trim size is great for small hands, and every page includes a color photo and a short, clear sentence. The level-appropriate facts focus on creature essentials, including habitat, behavior, and food; a simple labeled diagram concludes each book. There are four other fall 2016 books in this series. Glos., ind. Review covers these First Step Nonfiction: Backyard Critters titles: Darting Dragonflies, Speedy Centipedes, Flashing Fireflies, and Slimy Snails.
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4-6
Checkerboard Library: Real Monsters series.
A strong, sturdy fighter, the rhinoceros beetle is the "superstar" of this high-interest nonfiction-series title. Did you know that rhinoceros beetles' horn shapes vary depending on their diet when young? Each spread has a bold title, simple text, and engaging photos to focus information about this amazing insect for early readers. A short comprehension quiz is provided at the end. Glos.
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K-3
Creepy Creatures series.
Brief texts address basic questions about the title creatures: How big are they? What do they eat? Where do they live? The factual information is useful but incomplete. Extreme close-up photos will leave insect and arachnid fans enthralled. Each book includes a very simple craft or project (e.g., rub a stick over a comb's teeth to replicate crickets' songs). Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Creepy Creatures titles: Centipedes, Crickets, Mantises, and Spiders.
24 pp.
| Bearport
| January, 2009
|
LibraryISBN 978-1-59716-752-9$21.28
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K-3
No Backbone! The World of Invertebrates series.
This series combines gross-out elements with ecological and scientific details. The crisp close-up photographs are large and well captioned, with overall layout consistent throughout the series. The facts provided, though informative, seem randomly chosen, repetitive, and/or too vague at times. Some text is repeated among books. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these No Backbone! The World of Invertebrates titles: Leggy Centipedes, Stinging Scorpions, Wiggly Earthworms, Bloodsucking Leeches, Roly-Poly Pillbugs, and Creeping Land Snails.