Read Series Made Simple, School Library Journal's guide to the latest series nonfiction

Sharks, dinosaurs, lions, snakes—some creatures need no publicity to attract audiences. Each season brings new batches of elementary introductions that aim to excite, delight, titillate, gross out, and, occasionally, even instruct young readers with quick looks at the natural world’s toothier residents. With only occasional exceptions, the series below offer large, dramatic, and sharply reproduced photographs paired with short, clearly written narratives—almost all presented in 24 pages rather than the once-universal 32. Most close with well-meant if perfunctory indexes, citations to a handful of related titles, and web resources identified either in the volumes or on a publisher’s dedicated website. And, of course, the library bindings are sturdy enough to outlive us all.

Preschool—Grade 4

ALLYN, Daisy. Python. ISBN 978-1-4339-4559-5; ISBN 978-1-4339-4562-5. LC 2010030693. BURKE, Johanna. Anaconda. ISBN 978-1-4339-4523-6; ISBN 978-1-4339-4526-7. LC 2010024028. ————. Boa Constrictor. ISBN 978-1-4339-4547-2; ISBN 978-1-4339-4538-0. LC 2010030697. GANGEMI, Angelo. Black Mamba. ISBN 978-1-4339-4529-8; ISBN 978-1-4339-4532-8. LC 2010022879. JAMES, Lincoln. Death Adder. ISBN 978-1-4339-4541-0; ISBN 978-1-4339-4544-1. LC 2010024992. JONES, Cede. King Cobra. ISBN 978-1-4339-4553-3; ISBN 978-1-4339-4556-4. LC 2010030696. LEIGH, Autumn. Diamondback Rattlesnake. ISBN 978-1-4339-4547-2; ISBN 978-1-4339-4550-2. LC 2010030697. WORTHY, Shanya. Taipan. ISBN 978-1-4339-4565-6; ISBN 978-1-4339-4568-7. LC 2010030694. ea vol: 24p. (Killer Snakes Series). chart. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Gareth Stevens. 2011. PLB $22.60; ebook $22.60. Gr 1-3—Catering to obsessive young reptile lovers, these systematic but varied presentations pair simple facts about the physical characteristics of a select group of snakes and their geographical distribution, common prey, and reproductive cycles with full-page, close-up photos. Fledgling readers who thrill to the sight of a taipan swallowing a mouse, a python downing a large mammal (perhaps a deer), or a death adder lunging straight toward them will eat these up. The rousing visuals, plus occasional wry comments in the text—“It is very hard to get venom from a death adder without getting bitten!”—help to compensate for the narrowness of each volume’s topic.

ANTILL, Sara. Giant Anteater. ISBN 978-1-60754-993-2; ISBN 978-1-61533-190-1. LC 2010004433. ————. Okapi. ISBN 978-1-60754-996-3; ISBN 978-1-61533-192-5. LC 2010006167 . ————. Platypus. ISBN 978-1-60754-991-8; ISBN 978-1-61533-188-8. LC 2010004431. ————. Porcupines. ISBN 978-1-60754-995-6; ISBN 978-1-61533-191-8. LC 2010004894. ————. Red Panda. ISBN 978-1-60754-994-9; ISBN 978-1-61533-201-4. LC 2010004700. ————. Stonefish. ISBN 978-1-60754-992-5; ISBN 978-1-61533-189-5. LC 2010004432. ea vol: 24p. (Unusual Animals Series). map. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Windmill. 2011. PLB $21.35; ebook $21.35. Gr 2-3—These standard introductions to a group of apparently randomly selected animals offer attractive photos, but also deliver an informational load that is light at best and only occasionally contains such intriguing tidbits as the fact that okapis can clean their ears with their tongues. The volumes will work where additional material about the creatures is needed; the exception is Porcupines, in which a map that only shows North and South America accompanies the claim that the creatures “live all around the world.”

BAILEY, Gerry. Ankylosaurus. illus. by Adrian Chesterman. ISBN 978-0-7787-1797-3; ISBN 978-0-7787-1810-9. LC 2010044024. ————. Apatosaurus. illus. by Trevor Reaveley. ISBN 978-0-7787-1798-0; ISBN 978-0-7787-1811-6. LC 2010044025. ————. P arasaurolophus. illus. by Gabe McIntosh. ISBN 978-0-7787-1799-7; ISBN 978-0-7787-1812-3. LC 2010044027 . ————. Pteranodon. illus. by Karen Carr. ISBN 978-0-7787-1800-0; ISBN 978-0-7787-1813-0. LC 2010044030. ————. Sabre-tooth Tiger. illus. by Trevor Reaveley. ISBN 978-0-7787-1801-7; ISBN 978-0-7787-1814-7. LC 2010044497. ————. Spinosaurus. illus. by Chris Scalf & Gabe McIntosh. ISBN 978-0-7787-1802-4; ISBN 978-0-7787-1815-4. LC 2010044031. ————. Stegosaurus. illus. by Karen Carr. ISBN 978-0-7787-1803-1; ISBN 978-0-7787-1816-1. LC 2010044032. ————. Triceratops. illus. by Karen Carr. ISBN 978-0-7787-1804-8; ISBN 978-0-7787-1817-8. LC 2010044033. ————. Tylosaurus. illus. by Karen Carr. ISBN 978-0-7787-1805-5; ISBN 978-0-7787-1818-5. LC 2010044034. ————. Tyrannosaurus Rex. illus. by Karen Carr. ISBN 978-0-7787-1806-2; ISBN 978-0-7787-1819-2. LC 2010044035. ————. Velociraptor. illus. by Karen Carr. ISBN 978-0-7787-1809-7; ISBN 978-0-7787-1820-8. LC 2010044036. ————. Woolly Mammoth. illus. by Karen Carr. ISBN 978-0-7787-1808-6; ISBN 978-0-7787-1821-5. LC 2010044496. ea vol: 32p. (Smithsonian Prehistoric Zone Series). charts. illus. chron. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Crabtree. 2011. PLB $26.60; pap. $8.95. Gr 2-3—Issued less than a decade ago under different titles (that were packaged with foldout posters and read-aloud CDs to boot), these editions preserve the original illustrations but include rewritten fictional storylines and add a boilerplate opening spread on prehistoric creatures. Also new are three closing spreads of information about the highlighted animal and related topics, such as a look at mammoth-bone huts in Woolly Mammoth. The art in Parasaurolophus is blurry, and in other volumes the dino-figures visibly float over hazed generic prehistoric scenes. The closing indexes, glossaries, and reading lists are perfunctory at best.

BODDEN, Valerie. Centipedes. reprods. ISBN 978-1-58341-992-2. LC 2009052516. ————. Crickets. ISBN 978-1-58341-993-9. LC 2009052519. ————. Mantises. ISBN 978-1-58341-994-6. LC 2009052520. ————. Scorpions. illus. ISBN 978-1-58341-995-3. LC 2009052521. ————. Spiders. illus. reprods. ISBN 978-1-58341-996-0. LC 2009052522. ————. Worms. illus. ISBN 978-1-58341-997-7. LC 2009052523. ea vol: 24p. (Creepy Creatures Series). photos. further reading. glossary. Web sites. CIP. Creative Education. 2011. PLB $24.25. Gr 1-3—Riveting, close-up photos of mantises looking inscrutably at readers and brightly lit centipedes and spiders either in natural settings or cut out and placed on blank backgrounds will draw young audiences to these introductions. The texts have two or three large-type sentences per page, and each volume includes a quick craft as well as a four-item list of print and web resources. The factual information is easily available elsewhere, but both the illustrations and their subjects are high-interest.

IPCIZADE, Catherine. The Fastest Animals. ISBN 978-1-4296-5311-4; ISBN 978-1-4296-6208-6. LC 2010028753. ————. The Slowest Animals. ISBN 978-1-4296-5310-7; ISBN 978-1-4296-6209-3. LC 2010028756. ————. The Strongest Animals. ISBN 978-1-4296-5309-1; ISBN 978-1-4296-6212-3. LC 2010028760. MILLER, Connie Colwell. The Creepiest Animals. ISBN 978-1-4296-5308-4; ISBN 978-1-4296-6207-9. LC 2010028752. ————. The Most Dangerous Animals. ISBN 978-1-4296-5312-1; ISBN 978-1-4296-6210-9. LC 2010028755. ————. The Stinkiest Animals. ISBN 978-1-4296-5307-7; ISBN 978-1-4296-6211-6. LC 2010028758. ea vol: 24p. (Pebble Plus: Extreme Animals Series). illus. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Capstone. 2011. PLB $23.99; pap. $6.95. K-Gr 2—Not to be confused with PowerKids Press’s more informative but less titillating 2008 series of the same name, this collection goes for drama. “They squeeze! They chomp! They crush! These animals aren’t just strong. Their strength is EXTREME.” Each volume introduces nine exemplars of extremity in the natural world, pairing punchy sentences and, occasionally, graphics such as a “Stink Meter” or a “Creepy Meter” with full-bleed (but never actually bloody or gruesome) color nature photos. The choices are often arbitrary, particularly for the more subjective titles. Crocodiles, for instance, make the roster in Creepiest, as do hippos in Most Dangerous; and, justified by the curious factoid that its tongue “is strong enough to hold 50 people,” the blue whale is a surprise entry in Strongest. Word counts range between 210 and 235, and the publisher pads two-item further-reading lists with other titles in this series in Most Dangerous and Stinkiest.

KOPP, Megan. Anacondas. ISBN 978-1-4296-5432-6; ISBN 978-1-4296-6255-0. LC 2010027375. ————. Cobras. ISBN 978-1-4296-5430-2; ISBN 978-1-4296-6256-7. LC 2010027376. MONTGOMERY, Heather L. Garter Snakes. ISBN 978-1-4296-5433-3; ISBN 978-1-4296-6257-4. LC 2010025208. ————. Rattlesnakes. ISBN 978-1-4296-5434-0; ISBN 978-1-4296-6258-1. LC 2010025209. ea vol: 32p. (Edge Books: Wild About Snakes Series). illus. map. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Capstone. 2011. PLB $26.65; pap. $7.95. Gr 3-4—Though narrowly focused, these introductions offer a crowd-pleasing combination of relatively substantial information—including specialized terms (ectotherm, neurotoxin) that are consistently defined nearby—with sometimes-thrilling photographs of snakes chowing down on hapless prey or themselves becoming prey to larger predators. Enhancements include range maps and relevant topical excursions in sidebars. These are good choices to complement broader sources on these ever-popular reptiles.

LUNIS, Natalie. Electric Animals. ISBN 978-1-61772-121-2; ISBN 978-1-61772-166-3. LC 2010034521. ————. Glow-in-the-Dark Animals. ISBN 978-1-61772-119-9; ISBN 978-1-61772-167-0. LC 2010038281. ————. See-Through Animals. ISBN 978-1-61772-120-5; ISBN 978-1-61772-168-7. LC 2010045408. YAW, Valerie. Color-Changing Animals. ISBN 978-1-61772-122-9; ISBN 978-1-61772-165-6. LC 2010038283. ea vol: 24p. (Animals with Super Powers Series). photos. bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Bearport. 2011. PLB $22.61; ebook $16.96. Gr 2-4—Large color photos of animals in natural settings and clear, cogent presentations of information combine to boost this series well above the average for both assignments and casual browsing. Along with covering such uncommon topics as bioluminescence and transparency, the volumes offer introductions to creatures beyond the usual suspects. Glow-in-the-Dark Animals features not only fireflies, glowworms, and anglerfish, but also South American railroad worms and cucujo beetles, and Electric Animals includes the platypus and great white sharks, which both have electroreceptors. Though the closing resource lists include both old entries and ones that are not age-appropriate, these titles will strengthen animal collections.

MEINKING, Mary. Crocodile vs. Wildebeest. ISBN 978-1-4109-3935-7; ISBN 978-1-4109-3944-9. LC 2010016918. ————. Dolphin vs. Fish. ISBN 978-1-4109-3940-1; ISBN 978-1-4109-3949-4. LC 2010017010. ————. Lion vs. Gazelle. ISBN 978-1-4109-3934-0; ISBN 978-1-4109-3943-2. LC 2010016914. ————. Owl vs. Mouse. ISBN 978-1-4109-3938-8; ISBN 978-1-4109-3947-0. LC 2010016931. ————. Polar Bear vs. Seal. ISBN 978-1-4109-3939-5; ISBN 978-1-4109-3948-7. LC 2010016947. ————. Shark vs. Penguin. ISBN 978-1-4109-3937-1; ISBN 978-1-4109-3946-3. LC 2010016927. ————. Tarantula vs. Bird. ISBN 978-1-4109-3938-8; ISBN 978-1-4109-3947-0. LC 2010016931. ————. Wolf vs. Elk. ISBN 978-1-4109-3941-8; ISBN 978-1-4109-3950-0. LC 2010017011. ea vol: 32p. (Predator vs. Prey Series). charts. map. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. Raintree. 2011. PLB $29; pap. $7.99. Gr 2-3—Opening with attention-grabbing drama—“Teeth pierce! Tails splash!” (Dolphin), “Claws rip! Horns stab!” (Lion)—and using words like “challenger,” “battle,” and “winner,” each of these short texts presents a blow-by-blow encounter between a predator or group of predators and their common prey. Surprisingly (but realistically), the prey escapes (or in the case of Tarantula, successfully defends a clutch of nestlings) in five of the eight titles. Dolphin includes a simplistic claim that “A dolphin will help an injured person in the sea,” but in general the information is accurate. In Crocodile, Owl, Shark, Tarantula, and Wolf, close-up scenes of feasting predators may disturb more sensitive young viewers (in the volumes on the other creatures, predator and prey are seen in different pictures), but for the most part the photos are more exciting than disturbing.

OWEN, Ruth. Creepy Backyard Invaders. ISBN 978-1-61772-125-0; ISBN 978-1-61772-170-0. LC 2010041212. ————. Disgusting Food Invaders. ISBN 978-1-61772-126-7; ISBN 978-1-61772-171-7. LC 2010044417. ————. Gross Body Invaders. ISBN 978-1-61772-127-4; ISBN 978-1-61772-172-4. LC 2010044416. ————. Icky House Invaders. ISBN 978-1-61772-124-3; ISBN 978-1-61772-173-1. LC 2010041241. ea vol: 24p. (Up Close and Gross: Microscopic Creatures Series). photos. bibliog. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Bearport. 2011. PLB $22.61; ebook $16.96. Gr 3-5—Never have the wonders of electron microscopy been more thrillingly displayed. From the back end of a flea burrowing into a human toe to a full-page, luridly red-lit, head-on view of a bedbug, these knife-sharp, all-too-explicit photos are riveting. The texts don’t trail far behind in appeal either, offering a rousing commentary on the life cycles and feeding habits of houseflies, head lice, hookworms, molds, bacteria, stinging nettles, and other beastly neighbors beneath headers such as, “Attack of the Plant-Sucking Aphids” and “A Peanut Butter and Rat Hair Sandwich.” For added value, each volume includes a boilerplate explanation of how microphotography is done.

PARKER, Steve. Creatures of the Sky. ISBN 978-1-59566-912-4. LC 2010001151. ————. Ice Age Giants. ISBN 978-1-59566-911-7. LC 2010001152. ————. Land Roamers. ISBN 978-1-59566-913-1. LC 2010001153. ————. Sea Monsters. ISBN 978-1-59566-914-8. LC 2010001155. ea vol: 32p. (QEB Wild Age Series). charts. illus. maps. chron. glossary. index. QEB. 2011. PLB $28.50. Gr 2-4—Vivid writing (Land Roamers describes how “The giant millipede Arthropleura was as big as your bed!”) lifts these otherwise ordinary surveys a bit above average. Despite being printed in three sizes of typeface, the narratives are roughly consistent in level of detail throughout. The art combines photos of fossils, distribution maps, illustrations of prehistoric monsters eyeing viewers or charging them with toothy mouths open, and, on each spread, a human silhouette to indicate scale. “Wild Guide” picture galleries with basic facts about each set of extinct creatures close every volume.

ROZA, Greg. Chomp!: The Great White Shark and Other Animals That Bite. ISBN 978-1-4488-2551-6; ISBN 978-1-4488-2844-9. LC 2010027080. ––––. Phew!: The Skunk and Other Stinky Animals. ISBN 978-1-4488-2549-3; ISBN 978-1-4488-2842-5. LC 2010025762. ––––. Poison!: The Spitting Cobra and Other Venomous Animals. ISBN 978-1-4488-2550-9; ISBN 978-1-4488-2843-2. LC 2010027074. ––––. Poke!: The Sea Urchin and Other Animals with Spikes. ISBN 978-1-4488-2552-3; ISBN 978-1-4488-2845-6. LC 2010028524. ––––. Sting!: The Scorpion and Other Animals That Sting. ISBN 978-1-4488-2548-6; ISBN 978-1-4488-2841-8. LC 2010023604. ––––. Zap!: The Electric Eel and Other Electric Animals. ISBN 978-1-4488-2547-9; ISBN 978-1-4488-2840-1. LC 2010023589. ea vol: 24p. (Armed and Dangerous Series). photos. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Rosen/PowerKids Pr. 2011. PLB $21.25; ebook $21.25. Gr 2-3—More suited to browsing than to assignment use, these quick surveys prize visual appeal over factual content. Chomp! and Sting! are likely to be the most popular of the titles, as their themes have an immediacy of appeal lacking from the more abstract threats in Phew! and Zap! Furthermore, there is some overlap in the creatures covered (bees and jellyfish, for instance, appear in more than one volume), and the series inclusion criteria are stretched beyond recognition by the presence of cacti in Poke! Still, toothy photos of sharks, or one of a saltwater crocodile leaping over half its body length out of the water, can’t fail to cause young pulses to race. Resource lists are consigned to the publisher’s website.

Grades 5 and Up

MARKLE, Sandra. Black Widows: Deadly Biters. ISBN 978-0-7613-5038-5; ISBN 978-0-7613-7205-9. LC 2010004274. ————. Harvestmen: Secret Operatives. ISBN 978-0-7613-5042-2; ISBN 978-0-7613-7206-6. LC 2010023491. ————. Orb Weavers: Hungry Spinners. ISBN 978-0-7613-5039-2; ISBN 978-0-7613-7207-3. LC 2010023490 . ————. Scorpions: Armored Stingers. ISBN 978-0-7613-5037-8; ISBN 978-0-7613-7208-0. LC 2010004275. ————. Ticks: Dangerous Hitchhikers. ISBN 978-0-7613-5041-5; ISBN 978-0-7613-7209-7. LC 2010023484. ————. Wolf Spiders: Mothers on Guard. ISBN 978-0-7613-5040-8; ISBN 978-0-7613-7210-3. LC 2010004273. ea vol: 48p. (Arachnid World Series). diags. illus. photos. further reading. glossary. index. Web sites. CIP. Lerner. 2011. PLB $29.27; ebook $21.95. Gr 5-7—Markle follows her “Insect World” series (Lerner, 2008) with a similarly designed overview of spiders, ticks, and scorpions. She presents a mix of common and less-common facts (not all arachnids have eight legs), and her commentary accompanies a particularly strong suite of illustrations featuring large, clear, labeled outside and inside views that display typical body parts. Photos go beyond the standard portraits to show, for instance, harvestmen mating and multiple shots of ticks feeding. Each volume also includes multimedia resource lists and a science activity designed to provide insight on the arachnid world without actually involving any live animals. First-rate.

RAFFERTY, John P. Carnivores: Meat-Eating Mammals. charts. ISBN 978-1-61530-340-3; ISBN 978-1-61530-385-4. LC 2010033864. ————. Grazers. ISBN 978-1-61530-336-6; ISBN 978-1-61530-465-3. LC 2010032169. ————. Meat Eaters: Raptors, Sharks, and Crocodiles. ISBN 978-1-61530-342-7; ISBN 978-1-61530-404-2. LC 2010037064. ————. Primates. charts. ISBN 978-1-61530-339-7; ISBN 978-1-61530-408-0. LC 2010032414. ————. Rats, Bats, and Xenarthrans. ISBN 978-1-61530-332-8; ISBN 978-1-61530-409-7. LC 2010029000. ————. Reptiles and Amphibians. ISBN 978-1-61530-344-1; ISBN 978-1-61530-410-3. LC 2010028543. ea vol: 295p. (The Britannica Guide to Predators and Prey Series). illus. photos. reprods. appendix. bibliog. glossary. index. CIP. Britannica Educational. 2011. PLB $51.70; ebook $51.70. Gr 9 Up—In a clumsy grab for reader interest, these compilations of material from Britannica Online Encyclopedia offer lengthy, academic introductions to selected large predator and prey animals—meaning no insects, arachnids, or microbial creatures—accompanied by occasional charts, tables, and a sparse assortment of cramped, staid color photos. Discussion of “Prey” is largely relegated to the Grazers title (which treats only land animals ranging from deer to marsupials), and crocodiles are arbitrarily included in Meat Eaters rather than in Reptiles and Amphibians. Each volume closes with bibliographical essays. The books’ drab format, as well as the fact that their contents are readily available online, will limit demand for this series.

Of these series, only Lerner’s “Arachnid World” is a standout, but several others merit consideration as sources for high-interest browsing or for assignments. Newer or less able readers will find Capstone’s “Pebble Plus: Extreme Animals” and Gareth Stevens’s “Killer Snakes” the most rewarding, while Bearport’s “Animals with Super Powers,” its “Up Close and Gross: Microscopic Creatures,” and Capstone’s “Edge Books: Wild About Snakes” will exert strong pulls on middle graders. Except for Britannica Educational’s “The Britannica Guide to Predators and Prey” and Crabtree’s “Smithsonian Prehistoric Zone,” the rest will be welcome supplementary materials.

Read Series Made Simple, School Library Journal's guide to the latest series nonfiction