RIVERS AND LAKES-NATURE HIDE A (Nature Hide & Seek) - Hardcover

Grade 2-3-Two series entries that invite readers to locate camouflaged animals, whose habitats are presented on attractive, textless, double-page fold-outs. The key to each panorama is on the following double-page spread, which lists the variety and total number of species pictured and provides illustrations of individual animals and a few facts about their behavior. In Rivers & Lakes, background and creature color tones are closely related, making it a challenge to find them. Brighter hues in Woods & Forests provide more contrast and make the animals easier to find. New England, Florida Everglades, Malaysian, European, and central southern African habitats are represented in Rivers & Lakes; Woods & Forests includes European and New England woodlands. A page of suggestions for using the books appears on the reverse of each cover. Fans of pop-up nature titles and other interactive formats will enjoy testing their visual acuity with this series. However, libraries will have difficulty including these books, due to text printed on the endpapers, which are attached to the board covers.
Diane Nunn, Richard E. Byrd Elementary School, Glen Rock,
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

These sophisticated yet uncomplicated entries in the Nature Hide & Seek series provide simultaneous lessons in animal recognition, counting, environmental habitats and world geography. Each of five sections uses a fold-out panorama to depict a particular environment, while a subsequent spread contains pictorial hints and an observation list. In a river of central southern Africa, for instance, youngsters are asked to locate "4 Nile crocodiles, 12 hippopotamuses, 8 chacma baboons, 4 sitatunga" and more, for a total of 43 creatures, while descriptions of each species accompany stand-alone illustrations. Rivers & Lakes spotlights a variety of exotic environments, while Woods & Forests focuses on New England and European habitats. Both books easily accommodate a wide range of abilities and attention spans, and the "Hide & Seek" of the series title accurately suggests the author and artists' game approach. Ages 5-9.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.