Destination: Australia
Grade 2-5-Filled with large, eye-catching photographs, this book presents Australia as a land of natural wonders. The organization is a bit disjointed; the first page briefly introduces readers to the country, mentioning its unique animals and "amazing habitats," and then jumps to the island of Tasmania with a description of the Tasmanian devil. While lots of fascinating creatures (emus, echidnas, and a frog that spends most of its life underground) and facts are included, the exotic nature of the country and its wildlife is overstated and adjectives such as "weird" are too readily applied. Occasionally, terms are not explained ("joey" is used in a caption but not defined in the text). The photographs, however, are often breathtaking; readers will draw back from the ferocious "saltie" (saltwater crocodile) that commands a two-page spread and delight in the picture of a mob of red kangaroos in motion. As an introduction, this title will definitely generate further interest.Edith Ching, St. Albans School, Mt. St. Alban, Washington, DCCopyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.