10/1/07 Library Media Connection
With its fabulous photography and large print, this content vocabulary building set gives our youngest paleontologists a fine introduction to all things dinosaur while providing a motivating framework for learning to read nonfiction. In each book, a word hunt immediately follows the table of contents, giving children new words with a pronunciation guide and a corresponding photo. Children learn the vocabulary as they read, gaining additional information from the labels or captions associated with the pictures. When they reach the end of each text, students are given an interesting opportunity to apply new knowledge by answering a thought-provoking multiple-choice or matching question. Afterwards, the vocabulary is reviewed in glossary form, followed by four pictures and labels that expand the book's topic. Teachers and media specialists could use this feature to teach kids how to go about doing related research. The ample index is underscored with a suggestion for further reading. Although this series is designed to supplement or serve as curriculum, kids will check these books out with enormous pleasure. Recommended.