A Cat's View of the World

Gr 2–4—These informative books are narrated by a generic animal, though the first and last pages are written in the third person. Several of the eight chapters in each volume focus on the animal's senses and communication, explaining topics such as why dogs sniff each other's bottoms. The author also covers care and training. While Cats, Dogs, and Horses close by introducing a special trait or quality, Reptiles concludes with a section describing popular individual species including bearded dragons, corn snakes, and red-eared sliders. Definitions of highlighted words are listed at the bottom of the spread on which they appear as well as in the glossary: a reader-friendly feature. Two or three critical thinking questions, linked to the Common Core, are included in the back matter. While the conceit of writing these titles from the point of view of the animals feels forced, the focus on senses and communication sets this series apart.