Green Anaconda
From the Series Apex Predators of the Amazon Rain Forest
It’s early evening in the Amazon rain forest. A large rodent called a capybara is drinking from a river. The animal doesn’t know it’s being watched. Suddenly, the jaws of a green anaconda burst from the murky water. As the giant snake wraps its body around the struggling capybara, the animal has no chance to escape from the powerful predator!
Filled with information perfectly suited to the abilities and interests of its primary grade audience, this colorful, fact-filled book gives readers a chance not only to learn all about green anacondas and their Amazon rain forest home, but also to develop their powers of observation and critical-thinking. Built-in investigations, such as figuring out how the snake’s coloring and skin pattern help it to hunt, and measuring activities to discover how long the anaconda can grow, give readers a chance to gain insights beyond the facts and figures.
| Interest Level | Grade 2 - Grade 5 |
|---|---|
| Reading Level | Grade 2 |
| Subject | Science & Technology |
| Copyright | 2020 |
| Publisher | Bearport Publishing |
| Imprint | Bearport Books |
| Language | English |
| Publication Date | 2016-12-21 |
| BISACS | JNF003000 |
|---|---|
| Dewey | 597.96'7 |
| Lexile | 580 |
| Guided Reading Level | M |
| ATOS Reading Level | 4.3 |
| Accelerated Reader® Quiz | 188145 |
| Accelerated Reader® Points | 0.5 |
Reviews
NSTA Recommends Green Anaconda
Apex Predators of the Amazon Rain Forest: Green Anaconda stands out among books about predators because of its engaging formatting and its questioning strategies that propel the reader forward through the texts. In addition, it has clear, crisp photographs that are closely paired to the text to give young readers a good introduction to this predator. The vocabulary is limited enough for the target audience, but has some adaptation specific vocabulary to enrich the reader’s knowledge. The text features are well formatted for young readers. I would use this text to allow students to gather information about animal adaptation and sensory processing. I think that it provides good information to support students’ understanding of core ideas in animal behavior. It would also support using text features for research and synthesis of information. Because this text is part of a series of similar texts, it would be a great classroom addition for shared research.
School Library Journal Review for Apex Predators of the Amazon Rain Forest
Each featured beast fills an apex predator role in the rain forest ecosystem. Content focuses on predation in the first half, including the subject’s diet and hunting methods, with photos that show some of the action of the hunt. Life cycles and habitats are also introduced. Writing is clear and direct, avoiding generalization. Readers learn, for example, that a bull shark is an apex predator in the Amazon, but not in the ocean. . . . Captioned photographs highlight key physical features, while occasional close-ups and insets also support factual details effectively. Other features include a range map, a “science lab” activity, and question boxes that actually promote critical thinking, rather than repetition of facts from within the text. VERDICT: Well-rounded species profiles suitable for reports.
