About Marsupials: A Guide for Children

by Cathryn Sill, John Sill (Illustrator)

Overview

Explore the world of koalas, kangaroos, and other marsupials in this award-winning beginner's guide to an unusual group of mammals—the marsupials.

In this volume from the acclaimed About... series, author and educator Cathryn Sill uses simple, easy-to-understand language to teach children what marsupials are, how they look, how they move, what they eat, and where they live.

With beautifully detailed, realistic paintings, noted wildlife illustrator John Sill introduces readers to a variety of marsupials―from the well-known koala and kangaroo to the less familiar cuscus and quoll. An afterword provides more details for the animals featured in the book.

Ideal for early childhood and elementary science units on animals.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781561453580
Publisher:	Holiday House
Publication date:	03/07/2006
Series:	About. . . , #10
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	10.28(w) x 8.79(h) x 0.41(d)
Age Range:	4 - 7 Years

About the Author

Cathryn Sill, a graduate of Western Carolina University, was an elementary school teacher for thirty years. She is the author of more than twenty-five prize-winning nonfiction picture books about animals and habitats. She has created three nature series especially for pre-K and kindergarten students. She lives in North Carolina.

John Sill holds a BS in wildlife biology from North Carolina State University. Combining his knowledge of wildlife and artistic skill, John has achieved an impressive reputation as a wildlife artist and received many awards. He has illustrated more than twenty-five books in the About... and About Habitats series. He lives in North Carolina.

Editorial Reviews

"Beautiful, detailed illustrations are the highlight of this simple introduction." —School Library Journal

"A handsome introduction to an unusual group of mammals." —Kirkus Reviews

From the Publisher

K-Gr 3-Beautiful, detailed illustrations are the highlight of this simple introduction. Each spread includes one line of large-print text opposite a full-page picture of an animal. Characteristics of many different, primarily Australian, marsupials are described in language young students will understand. However, by highlighting characteristics that are so general, children might be unclear about what constitutes a marsupial. ("They may live in trees-on the ground-or underground." "Many marsupials are nocturnal-they hunt and eat at night. Others look for food during the day.") An afterword does provide additional information about the number of species, location, and the nourishment of a newborn, along with clear details about the animals shown in each illustration. Report writers are likely to find the most useful information in this section.-Christine Markley, Washington Elementary School, Barto, PA Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.

School Library Journal

Sill introduces 17 marsupials with a brief line of text and a full-page color painting by the illustrator of nine other outstanding titles in this series. The author, a former elementary-school teacher, demonstrates once again her ability to capture the essential features a group of animals share with an economy of text-a difficult feat as marsupials vary in size, diet, habitat and appearance. She includes the three-inch marsupial mole and the six-foot Red Kangaroo; the diurnal Numbat, and the nocturnal Spotted Cuscus; the vegetarian Koala and the meat-eating Tasmanian Devil. The afterword provides size, range and other information on each of the species included, a brief glossary, bibliography and web sites. Full color paintings of wombats, wallabies, opossums, tree kangaroos and more are superb, extending the text and providing a wealth of detail. A handsome introduction to an unusual group of mammals. (Nonfiction. 7-10)

Kirkus Reviews