Editorial Review
Booklist Review of Arapaimas
The Wild Animal Families series (4 titles) takes young readers to different habitats to observe their animal groups. This entry opens by explaining why living in groups can be beneficial and stating a clear definition of grassland habitats. Then come the creatures!
With a double-page spread apiece, the book spotlights seven different animals, such as saiga antelopes, steppe eagles, and African elephants, noting behaviors and special names for their specific group (e.g., a dazzles of zebras). Heavily illustrated pages layer animal photos over cartoon backgrounds and contain colorful text boxes with sentences short enough to hold young readers’ attention.
As the book concludes, it reiterates how living in groups helps animals find food, avoid predators, and migrate more safely; it then asks readers to consider which group they’d like to join.
—Alana Jara