Animal books for young readers

Today's reviews highlight a couple of fun series that National Geographic Kids publishes for young reader.

"Explore my world" is a series  aimed at curious preschoolers.  There are a bunch out there featuring frogs, baby animals, koalas... and this one:

Tigers
by Jill Esbaum
32 pages; ages 3-7
NGK, 2016.

Here's how it begins:
"A tiger! She prowls the steamy jungle on padded paws. This tiger is hungry. Stay hidden, buffalo. Watch out, wild pigs."

Simple language tells about a tiger's life. Active words in large type begin each topic. For example, "Chase!" for tiger on the hunt, and "Cuddle" for a description of how mama tiger cares for her cups. Facts are highlighted in "circle" text boxes scattered throughout the book, and every page is illustrated with high-quality photos.

I also like the interactive pages. There's a spread that compares tigers and house cats. A big difference: tigers enjoy swimming and pet cats usually don't! Another spread illustrates similarities between tigers and house cats. And there's a matching game at the end.

 Chapters: Together forever! True stories of amazing animal friendships.
by Mary Quattlebaum
112 pages; ages 7 - 10
NGK, 2016

"Chapters" are a series of chapter books about animals and the people who love them. Each book has three stories, and each story has three chapters ... plus a sneak preview of a future book.

One story in this book is about Penny and Roo. Penny is a chicken; Roo is a dog - a dog on wheels. They work at an animal hospital, welcoming animal patients and their owners. The story tells how they met, and why Roo has wheels.

Another story is about Mr. G and Jellybean. One is a goat and one a donkey. If you guessed that Mr. G is the goat, you're right! They live in an animal sanctuary that provides abused or abandoned farm animals a better life. When Mr. G and Jellybean team up, they create a better life for both of them.

Siri, a cheetah cub, lives in a zoo. Her best friend is Iris, a black lab puppy. Did you notice that Iris is "Siri" spelled backwards? Wait! A cat and a dog as buddies? You bet! Even as they grow older they remain friends. Sprinkled throughout the book are plenty of sidebars with additional information about things like whether goats really eat trash and how fast cheetahs can run. Readers will also find small boxes with facts throughout each story.

 Today's review is part of the STEM Friday roundup. Drop by STEM Friday blog for more science books and resources. Review copies provided by publisher.