By the time the last page is turned, even the young children will understand the concept. A nature walk or just a stroll through the neighborhood to look for patterns would be a pleasant way to reinforce the concept and demonstrate its real-life applications. Published by Millbrook Press, 1996. Readable text follows a pair of tree swallows from their discovery of a birdhouse built by a young girl and her brother, through nest building and incubation of the eggs, to caring for the babies. Swinburne's lovely descriptive language details each part of the process in clear, simple prose, effectively using context to introduce readers to new vocabulary words.
Several supplements appear after the main text.
A glossary is also appended. MOON IN BEAR'S EYES Illustrated by Crista Forest. Published by Millbrook Press, 1998. This attractive book describes the daily life of a grizzly bear family that lives in Yellowstone National Park. The interesting overview, which reads like an adventure story, includes basic information about the behavior, social structure, growth and development, habits, and characteristics of this endangered speces and causes for its endangered status.