Booklist
The facts packed ino the Wild About Cats series are not “kitten” around! Each work provides an easy introduction to a big cat through its most unique attributes and habits, followed by hunting behaviors and child-rearing activities. Each title notes the vulnerability status of the designated cat population and compares size to that of a common house cat for easy reference. These leveled-readers use challenging vocabulary, accompanied by simple sentence structure and vivid photographs related to each subject throughout the work. The vulnerable cheetahs are revered as the fastest land mammals, residing in the savannas and mountains; males flocking in small groups called coalitions and females living alone (with the exception of those with cubs). The similarly spotted jaguars are noted as wetland, grassland, and rainforest residing cats, with a near threatened vulnerability status. They’re recognized for having impressive retractable claws and being solitary creatures prone to marking their territory. Lions are contrasted as social creatures living with prides in grasslands, open woodlands, and thick brush areas south of the Sahara Desert. Also featuring retractable claws, they are far more reliant on members of the pride to collaborate on hunting and defense. Tigers features the endangered striped cats that reside in Asia, utilize webbed toes for swimming and hunting, and are known to be the largest cat species. The works conclude with a glossary for more complex terms, index, additional reading resources, and a plug for Bellwether’s database, Factsurfer. Sure to an essential resource for curious young readers ready to learn more about big felines.
Pennsylvania School Librarians Association
Cat lovers rejoice! Bellwether has added four new titles to their ongoing series Wild About Cats! Each volume introduces readers to a wild cat species. Topics covered include physical characteristics, location, habitat, diet, reproduction, and current conservation status. The text is accompanied by numerous high quality photographs showing the cats in the wild, on the hunt, raising their young, and more. Breakout boxes compare the wild cat to a house cat, highlight prey of the cat, and spotlight baby cats. Backmatter includes a glossary, index, and link to related websites. THOUGHTS: Cat lovers (and animal lovers in general) will find much to enjoy in this ongoing series. A great option for student researchers or for casual readers, this series merits consideration for elementary libraries looking to expand their animal collections. Recommended.
