Duckling (Watch Me Grow)
Reviewed with Lisa Magloff'sFrog.Gr. 1-2. Just another series about animal development? Nope. Books in the Watch Me Grow series are definitely a cut above, mostly because of their excellent illustrations. The full-color photographs, a vital part of the presentations, are not only exceptionally well chosen but downright dynamic: eggs in their warm, soft "feather blanket," thumbnail photos reprising the life cycle of a duck from egg to bird in flight, close-ups of frog spawn within their sticky jelly sacks. The pictures and their placement on the page will encourage children to read the accompanying information, which is presented in short blocks of text, sometimes boxed. The headings, topical rather than subject-specific ("I'm two days old"), and the main narrative are written as if spoken by the animal. Though verging on the overly cute, this anthropomorphic technique is enticing for the age group, even as it contributes to the science content: "My flat beak helps me scoop up lots of food." Outstanding for browsing, with solid content for animal reports. A six-word visual glossary ends each book.Stephanie ZvirinCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved