Friday, January 8, 2016

About Polar Regions

About Habitats: Polar Regions
by Cathryn Sill; illus. by John Sill
48 pages; ages 3-7
Peachtree, 2015

What a great addition to the Sill's "About Habitat" series - and a perfect read for winter. Like other books in the series, Polar Regions highlights the diversity of the icy places on either end of our planet. Each spread focuses on a single aspect of a polar region, with simple text on one page and detailed illustration on the other.

I love the contrast between north and south poles. The area at the North Pole is made up of frozen ocean with land all around, writes Cathryn, while the South Pole is made up of a huge area of frozen land with ocean all around. I've looked at maps and globes since ... forever, and never really paid attention to this difference.

Each spread features a different animal, telling whether it lives in the Arctic or Antarctic:  penguins (Antarctic), Polar Bears (Arctic), seals, narwhals and more. Plants and animals have adaptations that allow them to live in these cold and windy regions. But most animals don't even live on land; they live in the ocean.

What I love about these books is the back matter - six pages of additional information that deepens our understanding of polar regions. That's where you find out more about the auroras, how thick the Antarctic ice is, what permafrost is, and why it's important to protect these harsh, yet fragile habitats.
 
This book is best when paired with a steaming mug of cocoa. Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. Review copy provided by publisher.


2 comments:

  1. Thanks for this post. I will definitely check this one out.

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  2. The polar regions remain one of the least studied and understood ecosystems on the planet, despite their influential role in driving many global climatic processes. The polar marine environment is a unique habitat rich in species adapted to extreme conditions. In both the Arctic and the Antarctic, physical isolation, marked seasonal cycles of photoperiod/nutrient availability, extreme climates and complex food webs have posed special challenges for marine life.To know more visit
    Polar Oceans Survey

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