Up-close photos of the tiny harvest mouse do the heavy lifting in this volume in the Wildlife Watchers series (4 titles), aimed at the primary grades. Shown snacking, climbing, snuggling, and scurrying, this adorable rodent will easily attract an eager audience. Newly independent readers will find support in the large, easy-to-read text, bolded vocabulary (defined in a picture glossary), and clearly labeled illustrations. The text has a narrative feel as it follows a harvest mouse as she eats, builds a nest, gives birth, and cares for her babies. Familiar points of reference e mouse weighs less than a quarter, and her nest is the size of a tennis ball e thoughtfully integrated and will boost youngsters' understanding. An engaging introduction to the nonfiction format and an incredibly cute creature.

Owen, Ruth . Mole . ISBN 9781788560603 . Owen, Ruth . Stag Beetle . ISBN 9781788560641 . Owen, Ruth . Toad . ISBN 9781788560627 .ea vol: 24p. (Wildlife Watchers). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Ruby Tuesday . Aug. 2018. lib. ed. $25.64. Gr 1-3 Narrative text describes several experiences of a single animal, introducing key facts along the way. In Toad , for instance, a female leaves her burrow, avoids some predators, mates, lays eggs, hunts, and returns to the burrow. Photographs show the various steps, providing strong visual context. Eye-catching images of a harvest mouse climbing grass stems and building a nest, for example, support the textual content that describes those actions. The emphasis on behavior and life cycle results in focused, concise information that younger readers can successfully absorb and remember. Selected statistics, such as the number of feet a mole digs per day, are useful without overwhelming readers. While not all photos are of the same featured animal as the narrative suggests, they look similar enough to avoid confusion. VERDICT Successful mix of narrative, facts, and photographs for young elementary schoolers.