Snakelet to Snake

Well designed for the early elementary grades, books in the Life Cycles series focus on the stages of growth in particular animals or plants. Each volume opens with a general introduction to the topic, followed by a series of double-page spreads devoted to stages in the plant or animal’s life cycle. Brief sentences and fairly short words make the text accessible to young readers. Accompanied by captions and sometimes labels, several color photos appear on a typical spread. The clarity and quality of the images is often excellent, and many highly magnified images are included. In discussing the development of snakes, Snakelet to Snake covers species that lay eggs, as well as those that give birth to their young. The series offers information in a visually appealing way. An appended note to parents and teachers suggests activities related to each topic. — Carolyn Phelan