Wildflowers

This field guide to wildflowers is packed with useful information as well as features designed to engage children. Although the book's introductory section uses very small print, the main text, describing individual species, is more readable and more accessible to middle-grade students. The full-page and half-page entries for individual wildflowers offer each plant's name, order, height, habitat, and range, along with a paragraph of information, a color photo, and often a drawing as well. If the plant is poisonous, a color-coded warning symbol appears. Other occasional features include riddles, true-or-false challenges, Don't Be Fooled boxes comparing similar plants, and suggested hands-on activities. Within the full-page entries, an attractive botanical drawing has labels pointing out a few significant characteristics that are useful in identifying that plant. An appended section presents postage-stamp-size photos of all the plants, helpfully grouped for identification by the flowers' colors. The covers of the paperback edition are flexible but sturdier than most. A fine addition to the National Geographic Kids Ultimate Explorer Field Guide series.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2018 Booklist