125 True Stories of Amazing Animals

Gr 3-6–Culled from around the world, this collection of favorite animal antics from National Geographic Kids “Amazing Animals” column has a little of everything: dramatic rescues, incredible adventures, mistaken identities, strange bedfellows, odd couples, and much more. Some of the more standard behaviors of household pets are included, but readers will also meet a hippo that opens doors with his lips, a bison that rides in cars, an owl that goes on bike rides, and a group of elephants that play in an orchestra. Three “Readers’ Choice” sections offer a themed collection from which children can vote for their favorite online (votes immediately accumulate into a bar graph). Most of the “true stories” fill half a page with a catchy title, like “Gorilla Walks Like a Dude!,” a colorful photo, an explanatory paragraph, a background or fact caption, and often a speech bubble with the animal’s comment. A few entries are given spreads and include multiple photos. Colorful borders surround all the elements, which are arranged scrapbook-style over vivid backgrounds. There is plenty here for animal lovers to enjoy.–Carol S. Surges, Longfellow Middle School, Wauwatosa, WI