About Habitats: Tundras

by Cathryn Sill, John Sill (Illustrator)

Overview

This beginner's guide to tundras explores the unique attributes of this cold habitat, showcasing its beauty and plant and animal diversity.

Author and educator Cathryn Sill uses simple, easy-to-understand language to teach children what tundras are, what kinds of animals and plants live there, and how certain species have adapted to the unique environment. The book covers the characteristics of Arctic, Antarctic, and alpine tundras.

John Sill's detailed, realistic paintings reflect the beauty and diversity of the habitat. A glossary and afterword provide more detail for further exploration.

Ideal for early childhood and elementary education units on biomes and environments, geography, habitats, and nature.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781682636336
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	11/14/2023
Series:	About Habitats , #10
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	10.08(w) x 8.50(h) x 0.14(d)
Age Range:	3 - 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

"This handsome addition to the Sills ' About Habitats series introduces the geography, climates, plants, and animals of the tundras. . . . The book 's beautiful full-page paintings help viewers grasp the varieties of terrain encompassed by the term tundra, while introducing some of its diverse plants as well as various animals that live there . . . . An effective classroom read-aloud choice for tundra-related science units."—Booklist

"This careful study of what makes a tundra raises field guides to an accessible art."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

2021-09-15
The 10th in the Sills’ About Habitats series tackles the tundra biome, which covers about one-fifth of the Earth’s land.

“Cold, dry areas with no trees,” tundras are largely found in polar regions and near the summits of very tall mountains. The text addresses some of the adaptations plants and animals require to live in the tundra (low-growing, clumped plant species, animals with warm feathers or thick fur, for example). In summer, when the tundra snow melts, animals can raise their young and find plenty to eat. Two final pages address threats: “Tundras are in danger because of pollution, rising temperatures, and harm to the land caused by too much building. // Tundras are important places that need to be protected.” As in the previous entries, Cathryn Sill provides simple, straightforward text in a large font on left-hand pages, while John Sill provides watercolor artwork on right-hand pages. Strengths continue to be the marvelously detailed, lifelike pictures and the careful identification of each subtype of habitat (here, Arctic, Antarctic, and alpine) and its plants and animals. The series’ largest weakness, though, is that further vital information about each illustration plate is buried in the aftermatter, forcing interested readers, whether curious lapsitters or older readers looking for information, to flip back and forth.

This solid addition to an established series covers an often overlooked habitat. (glossary, bibliography) (Informational picture book. 3-7)

Kirkus Reviews