Review by Booklist Review
K-Gr. 2. The Sills offer the tenth book in their series of guides to the animal kingdom, which began with About Birds (1991). Written with simplicity and dignity, this well-illustrated book identifies the characteristics and behaviors of marsupials in the wild and concludes with the importance of protecting these animals and their habitats. A typical double-page spread includes a line or a phrase of text on the left-hand page, facing a handsome, full-page painting of an animal in the wild. Well-suited to classroom sharing, the paintings are attractively composed and clearly delineated. In a six-page afterword, each plate is reproduced in miniature, and the basic facts expressed in the main text are supported with paragraphs of added information. The book concludes with a brief glossary and lists of recommended books, videos, and Web sites. Primary-grade teachers will especially appreciate the book's succinct text and fine illustrations. --Carolyn Phelan Copyright 2006 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-Beautiful, detailed illustrations are the highlight of this simple introduction. Each spread includes one line of large-print text opposite a full-page picture of an animal. Characteristics of many different, primarily Australian, marsupials are described in language young students will understand. However, by highlighting characteristics that are so general, children might be unclear about what constitutes a marsupial. ("They may live in trees-on the ground-or underground." "Many marsupials are nocturnal-they hunt and eat at night. Others look for food during the day.") An afterword does provide additional information about the number of species, location, and the nourishment of a newborn, along with clear details about the animals shown in each illustration. Report writers are likely to find the most useful information in this section.-Christine Markley, Washington Elementary School, Barto, PA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Realistic animal illustrations are linked together by simple text. In back pages, thumbnails are accompanied by more detailed descriptions. While the text explains that not all marsupials have pouches, the vague definition given of non-placental mammals doesn't make clear enough how the ones that don't have pouches are still considered marsupials. Websites. Bib., glos. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Sill introduces 17 marsupials with a brief line of text and a full-page color painting by the illustrator of nine other outstanding titles in this series. The author, a former elementary-school teacher, demonstrates once again her ability to capture the essential features a group of animals share with an economy of text--a difficult feat as marsupials vary in size, diet, habitat and appearance. She includes the three-inch marsupial mole and the six-foot Red Kangaroo; the diurnal Numbat, and the nocturnal Spotted Cuscus; the vegetarian Koala and the meat-eating Tasmanian Devil. The afterword provides size, range and other information on each of the species included, a brief glossary, bibliography and web sites. Full color paintings of wombats, wallabies, opossums, tree kangaroos and more are superb, extending the text and providing a wealth of detail. A handsome introduction to an unusual group of mammals. (Nonfiction. 7-10) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
