Biology

Green, D. (2008). //Biology: Life as we know it.// New York, NY: Kingfisher.

Every different aspect of biology becomes a character in this book! The characters then explain who they are in the first person and give a little blurb about themselves. There are also facts on each page and a picture of the aspect of biology, as a character. There is a table of contents, index, and glossary.
 * Summary:**


 * Grade Level:** 4-7

The characters would make a great introduction to any biology unit. There descriptions of themselves would make a great hook into a lesson. The reading strategy, clarifying, could be taught through the use of this book. Biology and any science topics tend to be dense, especially when reading. Students should be taught skills that help them fix-up what they are reading. These strategies will in turn help students further develop their comprehension skills. One page each is devoted to entries covering diverse topics from mitochondria, bacteria, and amphibians to T cells, chlorophyll, and fruit. Entries classify the item, highlight three important points, provide a sassy description, and conclude with three interesting facts. The bold and colorful Japanese-influenced graphics anthropomorphize scientific components, adding to the title's appeal for young readers or older reluctant readers trying to get a handle on the basics of biology. A lot of information, some basic and some quite advanced, is introduced, and the book is therefore a bit more unwieldy than Adrian Dingle's The Periodic Table (2007) and Green's Physics (2008, both Kingfisher). However, it is a fun, albeit brief, introduction to a vast topic.—Ragan O'Malley, Saint Ann's School, Brooklyn, NY
 * Curriculum Connections:**
 * School Library Journal Review 2009: (from Mackin)**