Author: Vicky Willows
Genre: Nonfiction
Awards: N/A
Grade level: 3-5
Summary: This informative reader begins by introducing readers to "smart words." The book defines smart words as "frequently used words that are critical to understanding concepts taught in the classroom." The purpose of this book is to inform readers about deadly sea creatures, lethal snakes and amphibians, and toxic spiders and ants. Beginning with sea creatures, the author explains the difference between venom and poison and uses pufferfish and snakes as examples. The dangers of certain jellyfish, octopus, and other fish are expressed while also describing their habitats, attack methods, and defenses. In the snakes and amphibians portion, the author discusses different types of snakes and what each organ is used for. She even provides facts for where certain snakes and frogs are located. In the final spiders and ants chapter, readers will learn about identifying spiders and ant colonies.
Evaluation: This book is perfect for introducing science to students. I love the smart word aspect of the book because it highlights words that students may not know and provides a clear definition for each of them. Each word is included in the glossary at the end. At the end of each chapter, there is a short series of questions to review the material. I plan to use this book and many others from the series in classrooms with older students. This is because the topic may not be appealing or appropriate to younger readers because the author uses complex vocabulary words and is very descriptive when discussing how terrifying each beast is. Students can also discuss which of these creatures are found locally and which are found in other countries around the world.
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