I had the chance to read this book before its release through NetGalley, and it is thoroughly delightful and creative.
Seven children champion an animal for the top spot. Is it the ELEPHANT or the BEAVER, who both create habitats where other creatures can live and thrive? Is it the TIGER or the SHARK, who are both top predators, or the BAT, who keeps insect populations down? Is it the tiny KRILL, a food source for many sea creatures, or the BEE, the master pollinator? Join the children to find out how special these creatures are in this introduction to ecosystems.
My review:
I absolutely loved this delightful book exploring how different animals are vital to their environments and benefit the world ecosystem. When I was teaching preschool, I would have snapped this book up and used it to create a whole unit of study.
One thing I found really interesting was the combination of detailed illustrations and photos. That's not something you see all the time, but it worked wonderfully within this story of students teaching each other about these important animals. I especially loved including the idea of "keystone species" at the end. Great STEM material!
