Scholastic Discover More: Birds by Penelope Arlon. 32 p. Scholastic Inc., June 24, 2014. 9780545667739. (Finished copy courtesy of publisher for review.)
This Discover More entry is bound to create a new generation of budding birders. Everything one needs to know about birds is right here. Well, no. That's impossible to do in 32 pages, but a ton of tidbits and photos are crammed in covering everything from what makes a bird a bird, has feathers and lays eggs, to feathers and flying to nesting and hatching eggs and more. And the pictures! Oh the pictures are gorgeous. The eye just can't figure out where to rest! This is especially true on the double-page spread featuring the variety of colors birds can be! The images are thumbnails but sharp and clear. And, take the close-up photo of the bee eater, for example; every citron-green feather pops.
The back cover states, "For brand-new readers," but a newly fluent reader will struggle with some of the information in the text boxes, where words such as pinpoint and sensitive and camouflage are used and the font is smallish. It is perfect for fluent readers in first through third grades.
The information gleaned from here might be of more interest to browsers and fact hound than report writing as many of the facts are rather basic and general. There's a nifty two-page glossary superimposed over the bright breast and wing feathers of a parrot. There's an index and photo credits but no suggestions for further reading. Still, it's attractive and inviting and a fine addition to the elementary or ELL library.
As of this review, the accompanying ebook was not online. I was looking forward to reading it as it was about becoming a birder!
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