Animal Coverings

Emerging readers interested in zoology will go wild for this series. They’ll learn that not all feathers are created equally—the long, stiff feathers of flamingos and eagles push their bodies into the air and help them fly while the oily, waxy feathers of ducks and penguins are waterproof to keep them dry. The creatures in Scales aren’t just fish—reptiles are also included. Snake scales have grip so they can move along the ground and up trees while fish scales are smooth to help them move quickly through the water. With no more than four simple sentences on a spread, the books work hard to support readers with additions such as phonetic pronunciation of words like “mammals” (spelled out as “­MAM-uhlz” in Fur). An “Explore More” section at the end of each book drops fast facts. Bold words are defined in the glossary.

VERDICT: A standout series for emerging ­readers.