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Searching... Stillwater Public Library | J 577.586 JOH | Searching... Unknown |
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Summary
Summary
An interactive, narrative tone invites readers to walk through America's biomes in this exquisitely illustrated series by award-winning science author Rebecca L. Johnson. Vividly colored photographs bring readers face to face with animals and plants, while realistic line drawings create the sense of a nature hike in progress. Supports the national science education standards Unifying Concepts and Processes: Systems, Order, and Organization; Unifying Concepts and Processes: From and Function; and Life Science as outlined by the National Academics of Science and endorsed by the National Science Teachers Association.
Reviews (3)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-A visually pleasing title with plenty of clear, colorful photographs of the biome's flora and fauna throughout the year. There is a bit of confusion, however, over the distinction between "Arctic tundra" and "tundra" in general, which is shown to extend through the Aleutian Islands in far Western Alaska. The tundra does not experience the severe loss of winter sunlight that is common within the Arctic Circle. Hair-splitting aside, this book fills a niche. Allan Fowler's Arctic Tundra (1996) and Michael H. Forman's Arctic Tundra (1997, both Children's) are for a younger audience. Elizabeth Kaplan's The Tundra (Benchmark, 1995) and Philip Steele's Tundra (Carolrhoda, 1997) are more appropriate for older students.-Mollie Bynum, formerly at Chester Valley Elementary School, Anchorage, AK (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Horn Book Review
With attractive color photos, black-and-white spot illustrations, and a simple design, the plants, animals, and climate throughout the year of these two biomes are discussed. Although the books are clearly written, the pretense of the reader actually being on the tundra or in the forest (Hear that rustling sound?) is sometimes distracting. Bib., glos., ind. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
Gr. 2^-4. This entry in the new Biomes of North America series has several particularly nice features: the glossary precedes the text, a map defines the location, and the good resources section includes both books and Web sites. The writing style is lively, though Johnson goes a bit overboard in trying to give children a close-up view of the tundra: "Feel how squishy the ground is beneath your feet." She packs in plenty about the habitat, though, from climate to enlightening bits about flora and fauna, and she also conveys a strong sense of the way the hustle and bustle of summer is just a preliminary to nine months of bitter winter. There's a nicely varied selection of color photographs; sidebar "Post-its," each with a black-and-white drawing, help make the design more interesting but add little information. That's a small gripe, however, in a book that does a lot. See Series Roundup for more titles. Stephanie Zvirin
