Animal families

Gr all levels-There is not a public or school library that will want to pass up the opportunity to provide their patrons with the videos in this extraordinary continuing series. Based on the popular books, the series features Henry the Lizard, a cartoon character, who acts as host for each fact-filled video. He provides the comic relief, and even the youngest children will grasp the humor in some of his lines. At the end of each video, Henry announces his Golden Gecko Awards which are given to the best animals in certain categories. These entertaining videos can be enjoyed simply as entertainment, even at an adult level, but teachers will find the series perfect for numerous thematic units. The 30-minute length means they fit nicely within any classroom time constraints with time enough for discussion. Viewers will be on the edge of their seats as they watch an eagle soar and swoop in Birds of Prey. Animal Pets explains why wild animals do not make good house pets, and what to consider when choosing a breed of cat or dog. The amazing camel is a featured animal in Desert Animals along with lizards, snakes and owls. Prehistoric Animals is probably the most surprising title because the featured animals are dragonflies and sharks, not dinosaurs. The wildlife photography is top notch as are all the technical aspects of these videos. The animated characters provide the storyline and humor. Whether the objective is to teach about certain types of animals or present concepts such as animal camouflage, parenting, behavior or adaptations, Amazing Animals provides a perfect venue.-Linda R. Skeele, Western Elementary School, Georgetown, KY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.