Amphibiana

This series is informative, eye-catching, well organized, and useful for reports. Readers will learn that “amphibian” means “double life,” indicating the creatures’ need to live on land but near water, and that these are resilient, ancient creatures. Along with species-specific material, each book includes a few spreads of life-cycle information, a range map, and an indication of the subject’s endangered status. Large, clear color photos depict the animals in their natural habitats. One thing this series does well is to refer to the same animals throughout. For example, the section of Water Frogs that discusses other types of amphibians features salamanders and newts, reinforcing the information found in other titles in the series, so that students who read all of the books will develop a knowledge base of a core group of amphibians. This is a great series for kids who simply want to read about a fascinating, ubiquitous family of animals.