Birds (Slim Goodbody's Inside Guide to Pets)

Grade 3–6—Rather than providing information about the history or care of a pet, these books introduce the inner workings of the animals. Each volume is narrated by the featured animal, and Burstein has given each one a distinct voice—the cat is slightly condescending, the dog eager to please, and the bird chatty. Facts about skeletal make-up, muscles, the five senses, and fur (or feathers) are divulged in relation to a human's attributes; e.g., a cat has five more bones in its spine than a human does, which is why it can twist and bend in ways that we cannot. There is a lot of information here, and it is relayed in an informal but well-organized style. Color photographs and technical illustrations along with facts (dogs' eyes each have three eyelids) and tips (because its bones are fragile, you must hold your bird carefully) break up the text to make for entertaining reading.