Frogs, Toads & Turtles: Take Along Guide (Take Along Guides)
Gr. 3^-6. Designed as a field guide, this colorful book devotes a page to each of 30 creatures, such as the spring peeper, the Great Plains toad, and the box turtle. Readers will learn what the animal looks like, where it lives, what it sounds like, what it eats, and (in small, decorated sidebars) "Interesting Facts," one per page. Another little box contains a warning or a bit of advice, ranging from the useful ("DO NOT TOUCH. This turtle bites hard and fast!") to the obvious ("Don't leave behind any litter"). Each section of the book begins with a general introduction and ends with an easy craft project. The five "Scrapbook" pages, bordered but otherwise blank, may invite unwanted scribbling. Sturdier and more attractive than most paperbacks, this wide-format book has sewn signatures, glossy pages, and several small line-and-wash illustrations on each page. Despite its drawbacks, the book presents useful information in an attractive format.Carolyn Phelan