Marsico, Katie. Chimpanzees.

Marsico, Katie.   Chimpanzees.      Scholastic/ Childrens Press   48P  $28.00 978-0-531-20910-3       elem  Series: Nature's Children (Scholastic/Childrens)  E-Bnes

The text in this book about chimpanzees packs a great deal of information into a small number of pages.  While many facts are presented, the text is not intimidating to readers.  Each page is titled with a heading to help children find the information they desire.  A full-page photograph accompanies each page of text.  Whether close-up or showing the whole chimp, each photograph is bright, sharp and appropriate to the text.

This title provides amazingly detailed information on chimpanzees.  It includes their characteristics, life cycle, habits and environment.  Also included is a brief description of close relatives.  The impact of humans on wild chimpanzees and other threats to their survival are covered, as well as conservation efforts.

The glossary is very helpful.  There is a short list of resources and a simple index.  While these sections are short, they are adequate for the level of the text.

Altogether it is a very inviting yet informative book.  In the Nature’s Children series, ten titles offer substantial but not intimidating quantities of specific information about a featured animal's characteristics, life cycles, relatives, and natural and human threats to the species' survival.  They are appropriate for children in grades 3-6.                                                             --Joan Theal