Review by Booklist Review
This handsome addition to the Sills' About Habitats series introduces the geography, climates, plants, and animals of the tundras. On each double-page spread, a line or two of pertinent, large-print text on the left faces a full-page watercolor painting, representing a scene on an Arctic, alpine, or Antarctic tundra. While accounting for 20 percent of the world's landmass, this cold, relatively treeless biome is unfamiliar to many children until they encounter it in the science curriculum. The book's beautiful full-page paintings help viewers grasp the varieties of terrain encompassed by the term tundra, while introducing some of its diverse plants as well as various animals that live there or migrate to the region for the warmer months. While the text accompanying the large illustrations is brief, each picture is reproduced in miniature in the back matter, accompanied by a full paragraph of additional information, such as adaptations that help animals survive the cold, or the vulnerability of these ecosystems to damage from mining, pollution, and climate change. An effective classroom read-aloud choice for tundra-related science units.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1--3--In this latest in the series, which follows a format similar to that of the Sills's other works, readers are introduced to the tundra. Each spread offers a single fact, using one sentence, while the facing page has a clear and realistic drawing. These watercolors are filled with just enough information to hold young readers' attentions, neither too busy nor too simple. Each one has a label with a plate number and the physical location and name of the animals or plants within the drawing. These easy-to-read facts and detailed illustrations clearly depict a variety of tundra habitats. By the last plate, readers will have a strong understanding of what the tundra looks like and the type of plants and animals that live there. From Plate 18 on, there are thumbnails of the illustrations, well labeled, and descriptions of each image next to it--an interesting and accessible way to understand the topic. Readers will find that the single sentences create an overview while the full-page illustrations fill in the details. Some children might find it difficult to navigate back and forth during a first read but will return for more details gleaned from the plates. The title concludes with a glossary of useful words and resources in print and digital format. Early elementary students will find lots of information about the tundra from this title, which complements other titles in the series. VERDICT Purchase where the series is popular; this careful study of what makes a tundra raises field guides to an accessible art.--Susan Lissim
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
The 10th in the Sills' About Habitats series tackles the tundra biome, which covers about one-fifth of the Earth's land. "Cold, dry areas with no trees," tundras are largely found in polar regions and near the summits of very tall mountains. The text addresses some of the adaptations plants and animals require to live in the tundra (low-growing, clumped plant species, animals with warm feathers or thick fur, for example). In summer, when the tundra snow melts, animals can raise their young and find plenty to eat. Two final pages address threats: "Tundras are in danger because of pollution, rising temperatures, and harm to the land caused by too much building. // Tundras are important places that need to be protected." As in the previous entries, Cathryn Sill provides simple, straightforward text in a large font on left-hand pages, while John Sill provides watercolor artwork on right-hand pages. Strengths continue to be the marvelously detailed, lifelike pictures and the careful identification of each subtype of habitat (here, Arctic, Antarctic, and alpine) and its plants and animals. The series' largest weakness, though, is that further vital information about each illustration plate is buried in the aftermatter, forcing interested readers, whether curious lapsitters or older readers looking for information, to flip back and forth. This solid addition to an established series covers an often overlooked habitat. (glossary, bibliography) (Informational picture book. 3-7) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
