A Koala Is Not a Bear

Lisa Arsenault is an elementary-school teacher in Ajax, Ontario.

These two eye-catching books are packed with facts ranging from the
basic (habitat, food, family, appearance, predators, conservation, etc.)
to the unusual and arresting (e.g., the tip of a giraffe’s tongue is
dark to prevent it from sunburn, and “koala” is an Aboriginal word
meaning “no drink,” since koalas require little water).

Information is presented in a child-friendly, informal style.
Hard-to-visualize concepts such as measurement are rendered
comprehensible with comparative diagrams. For example, a giraffe’s
height is illustrated through the depiction of three people standing on
each other’s heads. In similar fashion, a giraffe’s hoof is
described as being as wide as one of the book’s pages. Interspersed
throughout the texts are effective combinations of full-color
photographs, illustrations, and diagrams that illuminate and support the
facts presented. Important terms appear in boldface, and there are
indexes and glossaries of “words to know.” Highly recommended.