Polar Animals.

Sandy Campbell is a reference librarian in the Science and Technology Library at the University of Alberta.

Books in the Who Lives Here? series are primarily picture books, with a little text. Each book begins with an image and brief information about the environment in which the animals live. This is followed by descriptions of seven animals. Each animal is given a two-page spread. Most of that space is taken up by Pat Stephens’s artwork, showing the animal in its habitat. The artwork is colourful, engaging, and realistic. There are one or two sentences of general information about the animal at the top and bottom of the first page.

On the right-hand side of the second page is a column with three circular images set one above the other. These each illustrate a fact about the animal. Sometimes the accompanying text ends with a single-word exclamation, often an onomatopoeia, such as “splish, splash!” or “Boom!” Children will enjoy shouting these out at the appropriate point in the reading.

At the end of the book is a paragraph containing addition factual information for parents and teachers that can be used to enrich the reading. For example, the tropical book includes information about which continent each animal inhabits.

Overall, these lovely little books provide a simple introduction to animals in exotic habitats. Highly recommended.