Animals Nobody Loves

Rating:
Summary: En-Grossing
Review: How my tutoring students enjoyed this book! The girls weren't nearly as engrossed as the boys, but the boys asked for second helpings. They were willing to work their way through the short descriptions on each page and spent time looking at the excellent and terrifying photographs of each animal. They had lots of questions. If a piranha and a great white shark got into a fight, who would win? Hmm. Leaving aside the question of freshwater and saltwater, I'd bet on the great white against a single piranha.

We also used the photos and descriptions to write riddles for their family members to solve. The language is challenging for struggling readers ages 7 to 12, but I find myself reaching for this book again and again because my students want to read just one more page.

Rating:
Summary: In defense of misunderstood animals
Review: I really love the concept behind "Animals Nobody Loves," which combines an easy-to-read text by Seymour Simon with a wealth of full-color photographs. In his introduction, Simon notes, "Animals are not bad or evil. They do what they must in order to survive," This educational book focuses on various animals that have been unfairly feared or hated throughout human history.

Animals covered in the book include sharks, bats, grizzly bears, cobras, vultures, and many more, including two of my personal favorite misunderstood creatures: the rat and the hyena. As the book progresses Simon generally sheds some light on the myths surrounding each creature. The photographs are striking, although 2 or 3 may be a bit gory for some readers. Overall, a good book.