Look, a shark!

Young readers plunge beneath the waves in the photo-rich volumes of the Bumba Books: I See Ocean Animals series. Each book introduces an individual sea creature, walking readers through its defining physical features (with a labeled photograph); how it moves, hunts, and eats; what its young are called; and, if applicable, the name of its social group (pod, bloom, etc.). Each spread features a large, crisp photo on one page and a few simple sentences against a brightly colored background on the other. Shark! points out how these predators have darker skin on their backs to disguise them from animals swimming above and pale undersides to camouflage them from creatures below. The large text size and picture glossary make this series suitable for newly independent readers, and scattered question bubbles prompt kids to think critically. Though it's stated that there are many kinds of each animal, no specific species are mentioned, keeping the information very general in these attractive overviews.--Smith, Julia Copyright 2017 Booklist

K-Gr 2-Gorgeous close-up photographs adorn the pages of this series, allowing the various textures of the different creatures and their underwater habitats to be brought to life. Simple text (two or three sentences per page) describes each of the animals, offering up very basic information such as life span, habitat, eating habits, and self-defense. Critical thinking questions are peppered throughout the text, asking readers to consider, for instance, why rays might swim in groups or how sharks' teeth help them hunt. Beginning readers will find these titles interesting and browsable, but budding researchers will need to look elsewhere for more depth. VERDICT A fine addition where animal books are popular. © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.