WHERE IN THE WILD

Several animals—including a sea horse, a camel, and a meerkat—talk in rhyming couplets about themselves and their different, respective habitats.

Large lettering on the verso of the first lush, colorful, collagelike double-page spread—this one featuring river-loving flora and fauna—proclaims: “Across the world, on land and sea, / Are creatures living wild and free. / And each one has a precious home— / A ‘habitat,’ its place to roam.” On the recto, an otter explains why it considers the river its home and then tells a little about its own characteristics. Every habitat mentioned similarly features a rhyming introduction followed by a denizen’s direct address. Scansion is perfect throughout, and the verses give accurate facts about nature—other than the poetic license that requires a golden eagle to smile for the sake of a rhyme. The layout features this bonus: a cutout window in each spread that cleverly shows an animal in one habitat that can adapt to the habitat described on the adjacent spread. These creatures receive an additional, prose gloss. River, rainforest, savanna, desert, forest, plain, mountain/evergreen forest, tundra, and ocean each receive one double-page spread of habitat glory—glorious indeed in color and layout—with predators safely distanced from prey. One caveat: The narrating animal is not always immediately obvious, so the youngest viewers will need adult help in animal identification. Endnotes urge protection of ecosystems.

An excellent introduction to habitats.