New books from Animal Planet

The three recently released books are appropriate for ages 4-8 and are packed with highly readable and bite-sized bits of information. Vibrant photographs and graphics contribute to the books' readability, supporting young readers' comprehension. Additionally each book has extension activities as mentioned in the reviews below. All books are well-organized with a table of contents, index, and glossary and will serve well as research starters and providing hours of fun browsing. And shouldn't learning be fun?

Prevent the "summer slide" and celebrate National Zoo and Aquarium Month with the newest titles from Animal Planet.

The three recently released books are appropriate for ages 4-8 and are packed with highly readable and bite-sized bits of information. Vibrant photographs and graphics contribute to the books' readability, supporting young readers' comprehension. Additionally each book has extension activities as mentioned in the reviews below. All books are well-organized with a table of contents, index, and glossary and will serve well as research starters and providing hours of fun browsing. And shouldn't learning be fun?

Animal Planet Animal Bites: Wild Animals (2016)

Animal Planet Animal Bites: Farm Animals (2016)

Did you know that ...

Giraffes only need 30 minutes of sleep every 24 hours?

The horns on a Texas longhorn can be 8.5 feet long?

Both books by Laaren Brown. Time Inc. Books, 2016.

Meerkats live in groups called mobs or gangs?

Animal Planet's newest titles to the engaging Animal Bites series (see my review of earlier titles here) introduce young readers to a number of farm and wild animals in their environments, whether it be on the farm or on the Falkland Islands. Snazzy chapter headings ("All Cooped Up:" life in a chicken coop) are sure to grab youngsters' attention and draw them in.

The books in this series employ a brilliant organizational scheme using color tabs , i.e. a green tab signals to children that a chapter tabbed with this color explains how animals adapt to their environment. This helps children understand the kind of information found in each short chapter and, because of the uniformity throughout the series, is an excellent way to support a young reader’s reading development and comprehension.

All titles in this series include a variety extension activities. Try "Wild Activities" in Wild Animals and have children use their bodies in the same way animals do to communicate:  bowing is "wolfish" for "let's play." A fun and different kind of foot race will have children waddling like geese, leaping and jumping like goats, etc., to the finish line to find out which animal is fastest. For those interested in more fun and learning, check out the Resources page for places to visit and books and websites to read.

I was quite pleased to find out that some of the proceeds from this series go " to support Animal Planet's R.O.A.R. (Reach Out. Act. Respond.) campaign " ...which partners with leading animal organization to make the world a better place for domestic and wild animals."  Partners include

the Jane Goodall Foundation, Equus, the National Wildlife Federation, and more. Visit this page for more information, activities, and how you and your children can help.

Animal Planet Animal Atlas (2016).

What is a biome?

How is the North Pole's animal life different from the South Pole's?

Is a food web different from a food chain?

How and why do animals adapt to their environment?

Animal Planet Animal Atlas answers all of these questions and many more. Through detailed maps, fun infographics, simple charts, and Find It! Fact boxes readers can track their favorite animals across the globe, learning about how animal habitats are affected by climate, food and water availability, migration, and human environmental (from Animal Planet website)."

The difference between Animal Planet Animal Atlas and a world atlas is that this atlas is not defined by the world's countries but by " ...  the major biomes of the world."  Succinct definitions of the major biomes are accompanied by thumbnail shots of the biomes. Information in each chapter includes human-animal connections and the impact of humans on the environment. Special "tour guides" (an animal native to each biome) accompany children on their "world tour" providing tidbits on information about their habitat.

Visit Scribd to download a free curriculum guide to use with this book. I intend to use both the curriculum guide and this atlas when I do my atlas unit with my students.

Thanks to the publisher and Blue Slip Media for letting me review the books.