Review by Booklist Review
With a lighthearted mix of wildlife photography and bright, goofy cartoons, the Wild Side series simply answers some of the most basic questions about various animal groups. The Wild Life of Lizards focuses primarily on the cold-bloodedness of lizards and their need to live in warm areas because of it as well as differences among species. The series of questions used from book to book is generally the same, discussing the basic form, habitat, diet, and breeding habits of each animal; bears and sharks receive an extra Are You Scary? chapter to address the dangers they can pose to humans. These books serve more as an appetizer for interested readers than as an actual resource, as the factual information within is a bit light. The pages are speckled with groan-inducing jokes and puns, and each installment contains an activity section packed with crafts. The simple text and large, glossy photographs and illustrations make this an ideal starting point for younger readers.--Reagan, Maggie Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3-These slight overviews introduce different animals through seven interview-style questions, such as "What are you?" and "What do you eat?" The questions serve as chapter headings, followed by the animal's first-person response ("I eat juicy bugs!"). The remaining spread space is full of examples or variations on the answer, a groaner joke, various insets, and an occasional life-cycle flow chart. Separate "Activity Time" and "Puzzle Time" sections include a varied mix of age-appropriate projects, including crafts, mazes, rhyming words, imaginative play, and (very simple) recipes. The titles end with a story about the animal, original or adapted from a folk- or fairy tale. The oversize font, brightly colored labels, and call-out boxes, plus vivid, close-up photos that vary from full page to silhouette against white add to the appeal. The indexes miss multiple entries, so they won't offer much help to researchers. VERDICT A treat for browsers and cover-to-cover readers. © Copyright 2014. 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.
