RIGGS, Kate . Camels . ISBN 9781608185139 . LC 2013051256. RIGGS, Kate . Jets . ISBN 9781608185214 . LC 2014000182. RIGGS, Kate . Motorcycles . ISBN 9781608185221 . LC 2014000183. RIGGS, Kate . Pandas . ISBN 9781608185146 . LC 2013051257. ea vol: 24p. (Seedlings). further reading. glossary. index. photos. websites. Creative Education / Creative Company . 2015. lib. ed. $18.95. PreS-Gr 1 More standout nonfiction in this charming series. Animals and vehicles are always winners in terms of kid appeal, but the clear, attractive photographs set these apart from the herd. Simple sentence structure and a clear layout add to the overall package; ideal nonfiction for the very young.

This new batch in the Seedlings series should delight young children. The big, beautiful photos of speedy vehicles lavish attention on each vehicle from every conceivable point of view, and they do so appealingly enough to engage even children who do not always gravitate toward action shots. A labeled photo diagram of the parts of the vehicle adds substance to the text. Otherwise, the minimal text provides only the most basic information, but the short sentences are easy enough for beginning readers to read to themselves. In Bullet Trains, probably the least familiar vehicle, one page is devoted to the information that "people ride in cars on a bullet train" and "many trains have 16 cars." Given the general lack of headings, the table of contents feels out of place. That will rightly not matter, though, to children charmed by the exciting photos and readable texts.