Explore the Desert (Explore the Biomes)
Looking for a way to get kids interested in the characteristics of different biomes? This series of books draws children in with inviting covers that give readers a quick view of each different biome. Throughout this series, students explore each landscape from a variety of different viewpoints. Each book has six chapters, and readers gather valuable information for report writing. High-quality photos can be used to develop food webs or as the basis for discussions. In each book, there is a chapter that profiles a real scientist and field notes that give readers additional, high-interest factoids. The vocabulary showcased in these books is far from ordinary and provides clear definitions and examples that show the meaning in context. From the animals and plants that inhabit the biome to the additional websites, these books are perfect for elementary level students. The mysterious desert can be easily misunderstood by students. The authors of this book provide clear explanations of climate, location, and the organisms that live in this biome. Contrasting weather systems are described in detail. Plants like the Joshua tree and organisms like the tarantula are used as illustrations of adaptations to desert conditions. This book will help students understand the desert and want to learn more. --NSTA Recommends, January 2007With controlled vocabulary and short, simple sentences, this Explore the Biomes series is intended to engage the interest of middle readers with below-expectation reading levels and help them access information about varied ecological communities called biomes. Each book contains five or six short chapters defining the biome, introducing native plants and animals, exploring the role of humans in that ecology, and then offering a field guide (quick facts) and a profile of a scientist who works in one of the biomes being studied. Following this formula, the authors have managed to make the brief text as lively as possible; color photos are generally well selected and of much greater interest than is usual in a series from this publisher. Readers will be able to identify desert areas on a world map and learn about desert plants like cacti and spinifex grass. Another chapter introduces desert animals; for example, scorpions, sidewinders, elf owls, and coyotes. Stressing conservation, the chapter on desert people explains the fragility of a desert and the drain on resources when humans build cities there. Especially striking are the photos of a blue-robed Tuareg leading his camel in the Sahara and a face-to-face look at a shaggy brown tarantula. Readers will meet Dr. Steve Goodman, a scientist who has worked in Madagascar studying mouse lemurs. These visually attractive books present biome overviews that should be colorful and appealing enough to inspire further research. Each title contains a glossary, a short bibliography, and an index. --Children's Literature Comprehensive Database, January 2007