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ZoologyBats :: Birds :: Dogs :: Elephants Arnold, Caroline. Birds : nature's magnificent flying machines / Caroline Arnold ; illustrated by Patricia J. Wynne. Watertown , MA : Charlesbridge, c2003. ISBN: 1570915164. Birds: Nature's Magnificent Flying Machines
Bishop, Nic. The secrets of animal flight / Nic Bishop. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 1997. ISBN: 0395778484. Favorably reviewed. The Secrets of Animal Flight [F]illed with vivid photographs and interesting facts about nature's flyers such as insects who have trouble taking off if they are cold and that bats' hearts can beat 1000 times a minute; includes diagrams of wings and feathers. Starred reviews by Horn Book and School Library Journal . (Grades 3+)." Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS (12-03). Chrustowski, Rick. Blue sky bluebird / Rick Chrustowski. 1st ed. New York : Henry Holt and Co., c2004. Ages 4-8. Grade: A Blue Sky Bluebird, told as a story, describes the lifecycle of bluebirds. Starting with a pair of bluebirds, describes how they build their nest, how the eggs develop and hatch, and how they grow. Mentions migration and shows the three types of bluebirds found in North America. Chrustowski skillfully includes basic zoological information and precise terminology within story (except for the peek inside the egg section, which is outside of the main story). A note at the end mentions the decline and recent resurgence in the number of bluebirds and the increasing number of nest boxes. The illustrations are warm, colorful, and detailed. KWR (06-04) Clark, Brenda. Eye View: Apes and Other Primates. Columbus, OH : Waterbird Books, 2003. 1-57768-563-6 (PreK-2 grade) [Eye view series] Grade: A This book is beautiful to look at and full of info bytes as readers have come to expect for DK Eyewitness books. The subtitle is important though--Dogs: Discover the world of dogs, wolves, jackals, and foxes--their natural history, behavior, and domestication. Much of the book looks at the topic that is broader than the title Dog. Has a fairly extensive index. KWR, UIUC MLIS (03-04) Cooper, Jason. Birds / Jason Cooper. Vero Beach , Fla. : Rourke Press, c1997. ISBN: 1571031928 [Rourke Guide to State Symbols: Birds] Favorably reviewed. "It gives the scientific name, size and year chosen as state bird, plus a few facts about each bird for use in state reports." Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS Student (12-03).
Answer such questions as "Why do dogs like people?", "Why do dogs have cold, wet noses?", and "Can dogs recognize other people in your family by their smell?" Dog lovers will devour the interesting and enlightening information this book presents in one sitting. Has a page listing dog breed superlatives (fastest, smartest, etc.) and extensive resources for further study. Bright and fun book design that is very easy on the eyes. KWR, UIUC MLIS (03-04). Davies, Nicola. Birds / Nicola Davies. Larousse Kingfisher Chambers, 2003. ISBN: 0753456176. Favorably reviewed. Birds on Amazon.com "A Kingfisher Young knowledge book, this is filled with interesting facts and many pictures for young readers to enjoy. Includes index and project suggestions. (Grades 1+)." Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS Student (12-03). Earle, Ann. Zipping, zapping, zooming bats / by Ann Earle ; illustrated by Henry Cole. New York : HarperCollins, [1995] [Read-and-Find-Out Series] Favorably reviewed. Zipping, Zapping and Zooming Bats
"From the Let's-Read-and-Find-Out series, this text provides basic facts and stresses how bats are helpful in eating insects ("Each night a bat chomps half its own weight in bugs. If you weigh 60 pounds, that's like eating 125 peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwiches every day.") and also notes the decline in their environment and their endangerment. (Grades 2-4). A Best Children's Science Book 1995. " Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS Student (12-03). Foster, Joanna. The Magpies' nest / retold by Joanna Foster ; illustrated by Julie Downing. New York : Clarion Books, c1995. ISBN: 0395621550 Note this book is Folklore. Favorably reviewed. Magpies' Nest on Amazon.com "One not to miss is the Magpies' Nest retold by Joanna Foster. Sadly, this book is out of print, but it excellently narrates the tale of why no two types of birds make their nests in the same way. Based on British folklore, the tale is further explained in an author's note. (Grades 1+)." Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS Student (12-03). "The excellent Let's Read and Find Out series has a title called How Do Birds Find Their Way by Gans. It's filled with interesting facts and maps of migration, perfect for a study of birds and their habits. (Grades 2+)." Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS Student (12-03).
Gibbons, Gail. Bats. New York : Holiday House, 1999. ISBN: 0823414574. Favorably reviewed. "Gibbons provides her usual excellent description for younger readers; this time concentration on bats' general physical characteristics, traits of certain species, flying methods, use of echo-location, diet, natural habitats, hibernation, and the birth and development of young. Starred review by School Library Journal. (Grades K-3)" Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS Student (12-03). Gibbons, Gail. Grizzly bears / by Gail Gibbons. New York : Holiday
House, c2003. 082341793X (Ages 5-10) Grade: A Gibbons, Gail. Horses! / by Gail Gibbons. New York : Holiday House, 2003. 0823417034 (Ages 5-10) Grade: B+/A- Starting with the ancient Eohippus, Horses! shows the history of and long relationship between man horses. This book is packed with anatomy, life cycle, and general information. There are numerous labeled illustrations and many breeds are featured. While a well-read horse loving child may not learn anything new, I learned quite a few things about horse. Did you know that horses only have one toe? KWR (03-04)
More basic questions than Crisp's Q&A book on dogs makes this one a good companion. Answers such questions as "How many puppies can a dog have at one time?" and "Why do dogs burry bones?" Sentences are mostly short. Pronunciation hints are included in the text. Each page has at least one illustration or photograph. Instructs readers on teaching dogs to come, stay, and sit. KWR (03-04) Holub, Joan. Why do rabbits hop? : and other questions about rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and gerbils / by Joan Holub ; illustrations by Anna DiVito. New York, N.Y. : Puffin Books, c2003. ISBN: 0142301205. Grade: A "Q & A format introduces rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and gerbils. Presents the kind of info that a young pet owner would like to know." Karen Woodworth-Roman, UIUC MLIS LEEP Grad. (12-03).
Summary: "Presents a variety of stories about working and rescue dogs who help humans in many ways, such as those involved in the work at the World Trade Center site after the disaster of September 11, 2001." Starts with the recent history of dogs helping humans (i.e. Balto, WWII, Sputnik II). Much of the book covers specific rescue dogs that assisted at ground zero. Later chapters highlight lifesaving, bomb sniffing, helping, etc. dogs. An interesting chapter discusses why Beagles are great at sniffing out contraband food for the USDA at airports. Photographs showing the dogs in action are excellent. Includes a list of resources and an extensive glossary. KWR (03-04) Jenkins, Steve. Actual size / by Steve Jenkins. Boston : Houghton Mifflin, 2004. 0618375945. Ages 4-8 Grade: A Steve Jenkins' Actual Size can be enjoyed as a work of art. The animals or, if a large animal, part of an animal is illustrated using handmade paper collage. What may sound like just a clever concept, when skillfully executed, resulted in an awesome book. Some of the animals shown are the pigmy shrew, atlas moth, dwarf goby, Goliath frog, and giant squid. The dimensions of the animal is noted and as well as a paragraph about such things as habitat and diet which makes this a very interesting book. Karen Woodworth-Roman Kalz, Jill. Robins / Jill Kalz. Mankato, Minn. : Smart Apple Media, c2003. 1583401318 (alk. paper) (Ages 6-10) [Birds Series] Grade: A- Very good, detailed introduction to Robins in easy to read language. Here is an example of the detail. "Both males and females talk to each other using a variety of calls, including a cheep, a tuktuk, and a scolding chirp." Discusses robins' diet, migratory patter, life cycle, and predators. Text appears to be written on white lined paper. The photos are appropriate and of good quality. Includes an index, glossary, 3 item each bibliography and webography. Includes an activity. KWR (02-04).
Simple introduction to the basics of dogs. Describes dogs as being big and small and of various colors. Introduces dogs as both pets and working dogs. Especially nice is the "Words to know" section that shows a photo that illustrates the word. Also has an index and other resources listed. KWR, MLIS, UIUC. (03-04)
Nice, friendly book layout, but not much information about dogs. For example, "Dogs love to run and play outside." The word list includes "covered, friend, fur, outside, special, and tricks." KWR (03-04). Klingel, Cynthia. Timber wolves / by Cynthia Klingel and Robert B. Noyed. Chanhassen, Minn. : Child's World, 2002. [The Wonders of Reading™ A Level One Reader] (Ages 4-6) Grade: B "Easy large-font text includes some basic information on wolves. Would be nice if it included a little more information, but a good place to start." Reviewed by Karen Woodworth-Roman, UIUC MLIS LEEP Grad. (12-03). Makes true-or-false statements like: "Only some doges are descended from wolves" and "A dog's body may tell of its feelings." Readers will know the answer after reading several paragraphs on the topic. Contains friendly illustrations that identify a number of breeds. Younger children in the age range may like this book read to them. KWR (03-04). Lerner, Carol. On the wing : American birds in migration / Carol Lerner. New York : HarperCollins Publishers, c2001. ISBN: 0688166490, 0688166504 (lib. bdg.) Favorably reviewed. "[R]eceived starred reviews from Horn Book, Kirkus and School Library Journal. This is a slightly more sophisticated discussion of migration. The local author lives in Chicago and studied botanical illustration at Morton Arboretum. (Grades 3+)" Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS Student (12-03).
Information packed book for the younger reader that really teaches something about dogs. For example the page on puppies says, "A female dog usually has between two and ten puppies in a litter. Puppies are born with their eyes and ears shut." The book layout is clean, fun, and colorful. Words in the glossary are in bold font. Has an extensive glossary and index. KWR (03-04) Contents: Dogs | Kinds of dogs | Parts of a dog | Puppies | Choosing pet dogs | Caring for pet dogs | Feeding | Exercising | Grooming | Bathing | Training | Visiting the vet | Dog shows | Wild dogs. Loves, June. Flying animals / June Loves. Broomall , PA : Chelsea House Publishers, 2002, 2000. ISBN: 0791065618 Flying Animals
McDaniel, Melissa. Guide dogs / by Melissa McDaniel ; consultant, Wilma Melville. New York, NY : Bearport, 2005. Ages 8-12. 159716013X. (05-05) Grade: A Includes a brief history of guide dogs. Offers specific examples of guide dogs leading their partners to safety. Includes a section on guide dog training. The photos are good and the book design is colorful. There is a bibliography with books and web sites, glossary, and an index. KWR Milton, Joyce. Bats! : creatures of the night / by Joyce Milton ; illustrated by Judith Moffatt. New York : Gosset & Dunlap, c1993. ISBN: 0448401932, 0448401940 (pbk.) Favorably reviewed. Bats: Creatures of the Night "Contains simpler text for younger readers and wonderful, brightly colored paper collage illustrations that create a 3-D effect. (Grades 1 to 2)." Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS Student (12-03). Moore, Eva. The truth about bats / [written by Eva Moore ; illustrations by Ted Enik]. New York : Scholastic, c1999. ISBN: 0439107989. Favorably reviewed. The Truth about Bats "[B]ased on books by Joanna Cole. This is number one in a new series of Magic School Bus chapter books aimed at second and third graders. These books, like the show, will give budding scientists lots of fun facts to ponder. (Grades 2-3)." Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS Student (12-03). Moore, Heidi. A mob of meerkats / Heidi Moore. Chicago, Ill. : Heinemann Library, c2004. [Heinemann InfoSearch] 1403446946. Ages 8-12. 05-05. Grade: A Meerkats, the mammal native to Southern Africa, live in groups called mobs. Covers habitat, social structure, and diet. Asks and answers questions such as "What jobs to Meerkats have?" "How do Meerkats care for their young?" and "What dangers do meerkats face?" The photos are very clear and the book design is inviting. Each page contains about two paragraphs of text. Words in the glossary are in bold. There is an index and bibliography.
This may be the best dog book I read. (However, I'm not looking at them all at the same time!) See the fabulous detail of the writing, "Today, about 400 different dog breeds exist....Some can weigh as much as 200 pounds (91 kg). Others are small enough to fit in the palms of your hands. Despite these differences, all dogs belong to the same scientific family. It is called Canidae. This name comes from the Latin word canis, which means dog." Starts with the history of Bloodhounds in Belgium at St. Hubert's monastery, where Bloodhounds were known as St. Huberts. Discusses the temperament and has a detailed description of the breed. There is a section of proper care including need for veterinary care, good food, exercise, and love. Finally, Bloodhounds looks at puppies and getting a dog. The glossary is very good and the web site www.adpub.com is recommended for further information. Good index. KWR (03-04). Orme, Helen. Eye View: Fierce Creatures. Columbus, OH : Waterbird Books, 2003. 1-57768-567-9 (PreK-2 grade) [Eye view series] Grade: A
Told in the first person from the point of view of a puppy, this book gives advice to new pet owners. Covers topics like how to hold a puppy, what to feed a puppy, and how to train a puppy. Some of the interesting features are "How to Write a Report on Your Pet" and a "Puppy Checklist" with items like "Wash my food bowls every day." The illustrations and photographs are excellent. I wish that the breeds were identified. There are no index or additional resources. KWR (03-04).
Honest discussion of the "Job of Rescue Dogs." Also has chapters on "Training," "Rescue Dogs on the Job," and "Off-Duty Activities". Explains how some dogs are trained to find live people and some are trained to find cadavers. Excellent photographs show dogs in training and working at sites of natural disasters and terrorist bombings. Includes Notes, Glossary, Bibliography, Index, and addresses of organizations. KWR (03-04) Pringle, Laurence P. An extraordinary life : the story of a monarch butterfly / by Laurence Pringle ; paintings by Bob Marstall. New York : Orchard Books, 1997. ISBN: 0531330028 (lib. bdg.). (Ages 9-12) Grade: A "The storytelling format is very appealing, but it definitely is "text heavy." This may make some of the younger reluctant readers less likely to pick it up, even though the story is easy to follow and does not take the same approach as a typical science textbook. All in all, I think it's well researched and well written and would be a valuable addition to any school or public library's collection of "life cycle" books." ©2004 Brenda Capranica, MS. All rights reserved. (04-04)
Note the series title is Dogs Throughout History. Most of this book looks at the history of the Dalmatian breed. The story of the Dalmatian should be interesting to owners of Dalmatians. Some topics covered are "Dalmatians Help in War" and "Dalmatians in the Circus". Has a brief description of Dalmatians today. Includes a glossary, web site list, and index. [Other breeds covered are Beagles, Boxers, Dachshunds, Golden Retrievers, and St. Bernards] KWR (03-04)
Riley, Peter. Animals / Peter Riley. Milwaukee, Wis. : Gareth Stevens Pub., 2004. 0836837134 Ages 4-8. [Everyday Science] Grade: A Another winner in the Everyday Science Series. Riley introduces all kinds of animals and highlights what makes them a unique subsets. For example insects are noted to have six legs and wings. Then readers are given a photo-quiz to pick out the insects from a collection of creepy crawly animals. Also looks at reptiles, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, mammals, humans, etc. Book design is colorful and photos are good. There is a glossary, index, and list of additional resources. KWR (09-08) Rockwell, Anne. Two blue jays / Anne Rockwell ; pictures by Megan Halsey. Told as a story, describes the lifecycle of two blue jays as seen from a classroom window. Describes how they build a next and care for their young. Also shows what jays eat. Mixed media illustrations are bright and have a three dimensional look. KWR (06-04)
"This book tells you about the life of a female golden retriever." (p.5) This shows the life cycle of dogs. A dog has puppies. Then readers see the puppy at birth and at various stages until she is an adult dog having puppies and finally old age. Good dog care is also included like taking the dog to the vet and need for good food and exercise. There is a short fact file and a very good glossary. There are four books recommended for further reading and a fourteen item index. The book design is cheery and the photos which take up most of each page are good. KWR (03-04) Rustad, Martha. Squirrels and their nests / by Martha E.H. Rustad. Mankato, Minn. : Pebble Plus, c2005. [Animal Homes] 0736825851. Ages 2-8. Grade: A Early reader covering squirrel basics. Focuses on squirrel dens and nests, but touches on habits and life cycle. Each left page has one or two simple sentences. For example, "Squirrels put leaves, fur, and moss inside stick nests" (8). Each right page is a colorful close up photograph. There is a glossary, short bibliography, index, and publisher updated web links. KWR 02-05.
This is a fabulous book for older children. Probably the best one for the age group that I read. I think that a 10 year old who reads well could enjoy it otherwise maybe from age 12. Really nice photographs--for example close-ups of paw pads and a dog's mouth. The glossary, index, and the "Further Research" sections are solid. The author also lists a limited, annotated bibliography of works consulted! Chapters: Dogs and people, How dogs developed, The biology of the dog, Canine behavior, The life cycle, A world of dogs. KWR (03-04) Stephens, Andrew. [Busy Books] Dinosaurs. McGraw-Hill Children's Publishing, 2004. 1577688899 (Ages 2-5) Grade: B Really bright and fun book design contrasts with the realistic (?) looking dinosaur illustrations. Introduces several plant eating and meat eating dinosaurs. Has a story about the dinosaur life cycle. Has several short fiction-type stories. Includes a simple game, craft, and numerous simple activities. (03-04) Stewart, Melissa. Birds / by Melissa Stewart. New York : Children's Press, c2001. ISBN: 051622039X [A True Book] Favorably reviewed. Birds on Amazon.com This book has large typeface, plenty of white space and lots of color photos to describe how birds fly, what they eat, and how they grow. Recommended readings, web sites, glossary and index included. (Grades K-2)" Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS Student (12-03). Discusses the origin, temperament, and grooming of poodles. Describes standard, miniature, and toy poodles. Most photos look like they could be on a Poodle Calendar. The book design is clean and inviting. "A note about dogs" at the end of the book reminds readers about the responsibilities of owning a dog. KWR (03-04)
Describes the breed's temperament, origin, and development. Also, discusses owning an Irish Setter. The president of the Irish Setter Club of America acted as a consultant on this book. Includes a photo diagram that labels such parts of a dog as the hocks, withers, and tail. There is an interesting section called"Quick Facts about Dogs." The book design is quite basic with a photo on every other page. The photos are of good quality, but look like they might be just as at home on a dog calendar. Most of the definitions in the glossary are appropriate, but the given definition for tattoo is a "mark on the skin." That's a little vague. This series also has titles for other of the more popular breeds of dogs such as Beagles, Saint Bernards, Dalmatians, etc. The back of the book has a short bibliography, several addresses of clubs, internet sites, and an index. KWR (03-04) PS. I also read The collie / by Charlotte Wilcox ; consultant, Virginia Holtz. Mankato, Minn. : Capstone High/Low Books, c1999. Grade: A- Follows the same pattern as the above book. Includes information about the most famous collie, Lassie. I liked this one a bit more. KWR (03-04) Wilkes, Angela. Question Time: Birds / Angela Wilkes. Kingfisher Books; 2002. ISBN: 0753454505. Favorably reviewed. Question Time: Birds "When do owls hunt? Why does a pelican have such a big beak? Why do birds sing? are some of the questions which this books answers. Glossary and index included. (Grades 1+)." Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS Student (12-03). Williams, Nick. How birds fly / Nick Williams. New York : Benchmark Books, 1997. ISBN: 0761404546 Favorably reviewed How Birds Fly "[I]t uses diagrams and photos to explain how birds glide, soar and land. (Grades 1+)" Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS Student (12-03). Winer, Yvonne. Birds build nests / written by Yvonne Winer ; illustrated by Tony Oliver. Watertown , MA : Charlesbridge, 2002. ISBN: 1570915008 (jrb), 1570915016 (pbk.) Note: Includes Bib and web sites. Note: This is poetry. Favorably reviewed. Birds Build Nests "Winer is a more recent title (and NSTA award winner) which uses poetry to introduce the young students to different bird nests. (Grades K-2)." Reviewed by a UIUC MLIS Student (12-03).
In an effort to protect bears and people, biologist Carrie Hunt uses black and white husky-like Karelia bear dogs from Finland to try to scare bears away from people and people food. Carrie and her partners give the dogs orders such as "bark at the bear." Follows the biologists and dogs on several bear outing incidents. Offers a list of advice to campers and hikers to keep a good bear a good bear. Interesting look at a little known topic. KWR (03-04)
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Clutton-Brock, Juliet. Dog / written by Juliet Clutton-Brock ; special photography Jerry Young ... [et al.] New York : Dorling Kindersley, 2000. [
"DK Eyewitness books" ]
0789457741 (Ages 8+) ©2003-2006. Children's Science Book Review, Karen Woodworth-Roman. All rights reserved. Copyright belongs to the individual reviewers. Last modified on 2 Feb. 2006. Contact: E-mail Karen with comments, corrections, and reviews. About
