Providing basic information about their subjects, the books in the Amazing Animals series let the illustrations do most of the talking d the crisply reproduced, plus-size photos that fill the page speak loud and clear. At the end, though, each book provides a revealing story about the animals in question that helps liven up the otherwise relatively dry recitation of general facts about physiology, behaviors, eating habits, habitats, and life spans. In Killer Whales, Canadian lore explains how the giant beasts came to be after a hunter used a magical knife to carve the animal from a tree. The books' easy-reading text will be a boon to both beginning and struggling readers, and the beautiful photos are inviting enough to linger over. The one-page back matter lists two websites and two books to help with further inquiry.

These attractive books provide basic facts about their subjects, including habitats, physical appearances, family relationships, diets, and behaviors. Spare texts in large type and bright, eye-catching photos make the information accessible to new nonfiction readers. A concluding spread features an anatomically labeled photo of the animal and a couple of close-ups of specific features. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.