Predators: A Pop-up Book with Revolutionary Technology
Grade 2–5—Eye-catching, three-dimensional spreads with a smattering of facts introduce six amazing predators. The dramatic pop-ups feature the authors' trademark "swing cards"—elements suspended from the main sculpture that provide a sense of movement and depth. In one scene, a polar bear made from several hanging layers of card stock seems to dance beneath a frozen arch while cubs balance on an undulating ice floe. In another spread, a similarly constructed great white shark lurches out of a grotto with mouth open wide to reveal its gullet as a diver hovers nearby. Unfortunately, the text is occasionally obscured by the movable pieces. A pull-out guide to each animal's hunting style is provided, presenting basic statistics, but no explanation is given for the creature's designated "killer rating" (one to five dots). Brief info about current populations ("Endangered?") is featured, along with a miscellany of other tidbits. Throughout, the tone tends toward the sensational ("like all villains, the crocodile has a faithful friend. The plover bird…."). In the "Spider" entry, the species depicted by the pop-up is not identified, and the text doesn't do justice to the many different ways these animals hunt. The Sundarbans mangrove swamps are mentioned as being famous for man-eating tigers, but most children will not know where the area is located. Still, readers will enjoy the visual fireworks. Additional browsers' fare.—Joy Fleishhacker, School Library JournalCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.