From School Library Journal Gr 4-7-This spin-off from the publisher's "Continents" series (2012) narrows the focus to each geographical area's flora, fauna, and ecosystems. Aside from slight variations in Antarctica and elsewhere, the overall design, order of presentation, and even chapter headings adhere to a rigid template-from opening descriptions of each continent's location and major land and water biomes to closing cautionary spreads on invasive species ("Maintaining Balance") and the need for careful conservation. In between, samplers offer small photos with descriptive notes on a very select handful of distinctive animals and plants, plus sidebars filled with a mix of facts and "factoids" ("A piranha's jaw is so strong that it can crush a human hand within 10 seconds.
