Moths (Pebble Plus)

From School Library Journal PreSchool-Grade 3-Three kinds of common insects are featured in these mini-introductions. In each, a bare-bones text of one or two sentences per page describes special anatomical features, diet, habitat, and a few behavioral characteristics. A full-page, clear, color photograph of the animal appears opposite each page of text. The best feature of these pint-sized books is the sharply detailed photography depicting the insects; many of the shots are close-ups. The texts, while clearly written, provide only minimal information. As a result, some important data is omitted. For instance, the texts in Moths and Praying Mantises fail to identify their subjects as insects, although that information can be gleaned from the glossaries. Praying Mantises does not explain what lenses are, although the word is used in the text as well as in the glossary. This last title and Walkingsticks do not identify the species depicted in the photos. Rebecca Stefoff's Praying Mantis (Benchmark, 1996) and Patrick Merrick's Walkingsticks (Child's World, 1997) offer excellent photographs and more detailed information on the characteristics of these insects, but are aimed at a slightly higher age level.