Guinea Pigs and Other Rodents

Anne Hutchings, a former elementary-school teacher-librarian with the
Durham Board of Education, is an educational consultant.

With their large, easy-to-read print and abundance of colourful,
eye-catching photos, diagrams, and sidebars, these four new volumes in
the What Kind of Animal Is It? series will appeal to primary-grade
readers.

Each book begins by introducing several members of the animal group in
addition to the one mentioned in the title. For example, mice, rats,
squirrels, prairie dogs, beavers, porcupines, and capybaras, like guinea
pigs, are rodents. The term “mammal” is defined and basic
information about physiology, habitat, and food is provided. The
diversity within families is noted, including the differences between
apes and monkeys and between porcupine-jawed versus squirrel-jawed
rodents. Words that may be unfamiliar are in bold print and explained in
the text.

Short chapters are devoted to individual members of the animal family;
for example, in Dolphins and Other Marine Mammals, porpoises, sea
otters, manatees, dugongs, whales, sea lions, seals, walruses, and polar
bears are featured. Each book concludes with an activity to further
involve the reader. A combined glossary/index uses both words and
pictures.

Attractively designed and containing a wealth of information, these
books will be a valuable addition to school and public libraries. Though
written for primary-grade students, there is enough detail to interest
and make them useful to older children as well. All of the books are
highly recommended.