Editorial Review

From eight inches tall to two feet in height, the owls introduced in the Who’s Hoo? Owls! series come in many shapes and sizes. These level 2 readers introduce new feathery friends to youngsters ready to tackle longer text featuring less repetition and more challenging vocabulary. Excellent photos allow readers to see dose-ups of each owl’s physical features (labeled) and examples of these birds hunting, flying, nesting, and blending into their surroundings with their excellent camouflage. The main text is divided into three chapters and integrates four info­graphics depicting the featured owl’s anatomy, preferred prey, early life stages, and a range map. In Barred Owls, readers learn that these large owls are excellent hunters and have a wingspan that can reach four feet. The pint-sized star of Saw-whet Owls will steal hearts as it roosts in pine trees and sings its signature too-too-too call. Another small owl resides in Screech Owls, which shows off this bird’s incredible camouflage, thanks to its bark-like feather pattern. Snowy Owls heads to the Arctic for a look at this large, majestic raptor, whose hunting prowess is guided by its exceptional hearing. Informative and supportive of readers transi­tioning to more challenging texts, these new series installments are solid additions to the animal-science shelves.
— Julia Smith