597.6

This book is a great resource for factual information about many kinds of amphibians and reptiles. The author/illustrator used anatomically correct, colorful drawings and fun rhymes to describe anatomy, habitat, life cycle, and diet of a multitude of animals. ( )

Parker, Nancy Winslow and Joan Richards Wright. Frogs, Toads, Lizards, and Salamanders. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1990. This is a very nice book that specializes in amphibians and reptiles. It starts out with salamanders and ends with lizards. It has very detailed and colorful illustrations of the various types of each creature. Each drawing is labeled with the correct term for each body part. Below each creature is a paragraph of detailed facts. The facts are very accurate. They give information about the creatures defense mechanisms, eating behaviors and reproductive behavior. The back has a picture glossary that shows the steps in the frog and toads life cycle. It also compares the sizes of frogs and toads.Then it has illustrations of the insides of a frog and a lizard. I think this is an excellent book for a child who wants to know more about frogs, toads, or lizards. It can also be used as a supplement to a life science unit about amphibians and reptiles. The text is detailed and would require a child to be able to read fluently to comprhend the facts. Age group: 7-10 years ( )

Retelling: Nick and his family find all kinds of different salamanders, toads, lizards, and frogs. This book describes each one. There are some very surprising facts!

Thoughts and Feelings: These animals have many of the same body parts that we do but they use them for different things. I was shocked to learn that some frogs breathe through their skin. I am wondering where “Yuma” is.