Nonfiction Monday -- A Rainbow of Animals

Melissa Stewart has a new series-- A Rainbow of Animals-- published by Enslow, 2009. Available now.
Why are Animals Purple?
Why are Animals Orange?
Why are Animals Yellow?
Why are Animals Blue?
Why are Animals Green?
Why are Animals Red?

I can imagine your first response might be the same as mine -- HUH? Surely there aren't animals that color. Like me, you'd be wrong.

Take RED for example. A red bird? Okay, I've seen Cardinals. Yup -- red. (with black highlights) But the photograph of the huge Scarlet Ibis is almost unbelievable. And then I remembered that Flamingos are pink because they eat pink shellfish. I guess it stands to reason that the Ibis would be red from eating very red crabs. (although this Marylander is only used to Blue crabs who turn red when cooked -- and I'm sure no one cooks crabs for an Ibis. Never have seen a red living crab.)

Each book has a table of contents, Words to Know, and one double page photographic spread for each animal with a sentence or two explaining why that animal is a particular color. In the back is a guessing game where the reader can guess why the last two animals are that color. (answers on the last page) A double-page spread showing on maps where these animals live. Ending with four books to read to Learn More (some with even less words and information than this simple book has) and a few websites. Oh, and there's even an index.

More Nonfiction Monday posts can be found here.
-wendie Old