Biomes Books

Starts with an introduction to the "Biomes of the World" then focuses on temperate forests around the world. Explains why temperate forests only grow in certain regions. Very informative and well researched. I only had two small complaints. Every so often the author used a rather slangy phrase which seemed out of place. Second, I did not like the way some of the maps were arranged. Those maps have red numbers marking the large areas of forests in a country and then the reader has to look at a separate list to read about the forests. I found them the hardest part of the book to read and enjoy. KWR, Children's Science Book Review

I laughed, I cried, it was better than cats!

Introduces readers to deciduous forests and the five layers (canopy, understory, shrub, herb, and floor) that make up this biome. The book layout and photos throughout are very good. The book contains a glossary and short bibliography. Instead of listing a bunch of web sites that could be obsolete even before the book is published, the book gives one link to a resource that the publisher will keep updated. Karen Woodworth-Roman, Children's Science Book Review

Go Butz, go wich ur bad self. Excellent writing, I almost was able to read it all by myself! Thank you for this masterpiece of child literature!

Reviewed by Carole Herdegen, (...). This Children's Book was reviewed in the section of my website called Carole's Kids' Corner under Book Reviews

Insofar as this book is one in the series, "A World of Biomes", I felt I must first explain the word "biome" - pronounced "by-ohm". It simply means an ecological community such as a rain forest, grassland, desert or Tundra.

This book, "The Frozen Tundra", begins with a brief introduction to polar bears. Then, the author takes his readers immediately into the Arctic Tundra, the biome that includes parts of Canada, Alaska, Russia, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway.

After explaining the Tundra's weather conditions and vegetation, next is a listing of all the animal and plant communities that exist in this relatively unknown region of the world.

An interesting element of this book for children is the explanation of what is termed the "food web". Basically, it is the flow of energy from the sun to plants to animals that feed upon plants (herbivores) to animals that feed upon other animals (carnivores) - the cycle of life in the frozen North.

As a former teacher of lower grades, I would highly recommend this book as a primer for all teachers who are attempting to expose younger children to what nature is like in the frozen Tundra because the contents are easy to follow, well defined and presented without complexity.

A cassette of WELL-composed songs with original lyrics to well-known tunes teach us in a fun way more about biology than you ever knew. The cassette is accompanied by a well-written book with line drawings and much more information of all the mammals by classes and orders. Also a section on biomes and ecology. Our whole family sings along and learns, including our 10-year-old son and 8-year-old daughter.

We have the Oceans and Jungles books in this series and I want them all. My 2 year old son adores them. He finds new animals all the time and likes to hear all about them. I think the books are great because they combine the fun of a flap book with the mystery of a puzzle. They are beautiful to look at and lots of fun. I wish they'd come back in print, though I imagine they are expensive to manufacture. We think they're worth it!

This book, like other titles in this series, was a great overview of the ocean biome. I would be a great read for anyone interested in this topic, and fantastic for research material for school aged students. It had great maps and facts about places all over the world. Fun book! Would recommend for teachers.

Sir,
I read your book in the spring of 2005, I was near death, addicted to H, and doing my dishes in the bathtub. You saved my life. Your spot on analysis and deconstruction of the flora and fauna of the tundra brought me back from the edge of the abyss, sent me on the right path, and made me the functioning, successful individual I am today. Its Way better than snakes on a plane, too.
Thank you, sir, you're a scholar and a gentleman.

Deserts - viewed as most as an inhospitable wasteland to be avoided. Its appearance is deceiving however, as the desert in fact is an ecosystem where thousands of plants and animals live, survive, and thrive. "Deserts", part of a series on ecosystems, is in a revised edition covering everything about the desert - its plant life, its wildlife, and its value to the world as a whole (an eye-opening note to the previously ignorant). "Deserts" is a must for any educational shelf dedicated to teaching their readers about the environment or for anyone who's misunderstanding the purpose of the dry, arid plains of sand.

This is a very well designed book that covers the the desert habitat. It presents its information in a way that can appeal to both younger children and to college students and beyond. It is not merely a book that informs the reader of the desert itself, but it also covers all that occurs in the desert. There are also random diagrams that help explain certain aspects of the desert or its denizens (ie. diagram of how a sidewinder moves). All in all I recommend that this book is at least examined before writing any school paper on the desert. Libraries should definitely look into purchasing this book for their collection.