CAROLINE ARNOLD'S ANIMALS: A POLAR BEAR'S WORLD

A POLAR BEAR'S WORLD is the latest addition to Caroline Arnold's Animal series. These books follow the life of an animal, in this case a polar bear, from the time it is born (actually in this book it follows the mama polar bear from the time she goes into the den to have her cubs) until the animal is an adult, able to take care of itself. The story is told as an engaging narrative. Each page also includes a small fact box that contains one interesting fact related to that particular page, e.g. Polar bears have such a good sense of smell that they can sniff a seal from twenty miles away.

The illustrations in A POLAR BEAR'S WORLD are gorgeous, cut paper collages done in whites and grays and blues and purples, perfect for the Arctic setting. An added feature are the other arctic animals that are labeled in the background. Appendices include a map, fun facts, and a glossary, also a "To Learn More," and an index.

A POLAR BEAR'S WORLD would be perfect for a unit on bears or arctic animals, or if you were trying to teach young readers about the features of nonfiction. It would also be a really nice mentor text for older writers- it's well-written, accurate, and a manageable length.