Salmon

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

Salmon are not among the species that you usually find in a wildlife
series for children, but their inclusion in this series is very well
executed. This series has been designed for children to use in research
projects. The illustrations and text are scientifically accurate. The
acknowledgements contain an impressive list of both scientists and
teachers who consulted on the project.

The text discusses the various salmon species, world distributions,
details of the salmon’s body, and its relationship with humans. The
book also includes seven two-page spreads illustrating the various
phases in the salmon’s life cycle. In addition to the large
illustrations, there are smaller insets that show specific things, such
as the rings on a fish scale or krill. There are also “Salmon
Facts,” brief text boxes that appear on the upper parts of the pages
and highlight interesting facts.

While the book is listed as being appropriate for ages 5 to 10, it is
the artwork that would appeal to younger children. With words such as
“mergansers,” “migrating,” and “estuary,” the reading level
would be appropriate for middle- and upper-elementary students.

Overall this is a nicely presented book with good content. Highly
recommended.