“Each title in this series begins with a brief description of the ecosystem and the idea that energy passes through the food web. Examples of organisms at each level are introduced—producers, consumers, decomposers. The narrative builds up from plants to apex predators and shows how everything is connected, emphasizing that if one species disappears it will affect the entire web. Illustrations show a variety of life within the ecosystem, not just those mentioned in the text. They include interesting details without being overly gory; several of the animals have almost human expressions of surprise on their faces as they are caught by predators. Supporting material includes a glossary, a diagram of the food web with color-coded arrows identifying the trophic level of each component, and suggested websites. VERDICT A good introduction for early elementary students. ”
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A Desert Food Web
A cactus soaks up some sun. A squirrel dashes across the sand. A rattlesnake stalks its next meal. Life in the desert is never boring as animals and plants try to survive in the hot and dry climate. Take an illustrated narrative nonfiction journey to the hot southwestern United States and discover how animals and plants in the Sonoran Desert survive in an interconnected food web.
retail $29.95 your price $20.95
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A Freshwater Food Web
Splash! The wetland is home to many water-loving animals. Ducks and frogs munch on bugs and plants, while a heron and snake lurk in the reeds. All animals keep an eye out for the top predator: the bald eagle! Take an illustrated narrative nonfiction journey to a wetland in the northern United States and discover how animals and plants in a freshwater ecosystem survive in an interconnected food web.
retail $29.95 your price $20.95
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A Grassland Food Web
The wide-open prairie is home to many grass-grazing herbivores, including the prairie dog and bison. Sneaky predators, like black-footed ferrets and wolves, have to work extra hard to catch their next meal. Take an illustrated narrative nonfiction journey to a North American prairie and discover how animals and plants in a grassland survive in an interconnected food web.
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A Rainforest Food Web
Hot and humid, the Amazon is home to a diverse range of animals and plants. Toucans, monkeys, tapirs, and caimans all thrive in this gigantic rainforest. Watch out for the green anaconda and jaguar! Take an illustrated narrative nonfiction journey to South America and discover how animals and plants in the Amazon Rainforest survive in an interconnected food web.
retail $29.95 your price $20.95
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An Arctic Food Web
How do animals and plants survive in the coldest ecosystem on earth? Easy—it’s not always so cold! Highlighting both the summer and winter seasons in the Arctic, elementary readers will explore the animals and plants that thrive in the tundra. Journey north to the cold tundra in this illustrated narrative nonfiction and discover how animals and plants in the Arctic survive in an interconnected food web.
retail $29.95 your price $20.95
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An Ocean Food Web
Just below the surface of the ocean, millions of plants and animals flourish. From the microscopic phytoplankton to the giant blue whale, life comes in all shapes and sizes. Dive into the deep open Pacific Ocean and discover how animals and plants survive in an interconnected food web in this illustrated narrative nonfiction.
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Ecosystem Food Webs
Discover how plants and animals depend on each other in this narrative nonfiction series. Vibrant artwork illustrates the link between producers, consumers, and apex predators while carefully leveled text weaves a cohesive story that explains the importance of each element in the ecosystem. A food web model at the end of each book summarizes the information, making these an excellent resource for Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
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Complete Series of 6: retail $179.70 your price $125.70
“These titles in the Ecosystems Food Webs series introduce early readers to the general concepts surrounding food webs, placing focus on “how energy moves between the plants and animals.” Each book covers one specific ecosystem, similarly laying out a logical progression of feeding, beginning with producer plants, moving on to secondary producers, apex predators, and the scavengers and decomposers that keep the circle of life turning. Arctic takes readers to the frigid tundra, tracking the feeding cycle through the seasons. Freshwater explores the northern wetlands, where frogs, birds, and insects thrive. Ocean journeys deep into the Pacific, connecting the links from phytoplankton to giant blue whales, and Rainforest visits the Amazon, with its big, hot, humid ecosystem. The approach here is straightforward, utilizing simple sentences in short paragraphs to relate general information directly to readers. Gray’s inviting illustrations capture the splendor of the natural settings as well as the ferocity of predators, while keeping scenes gentle with softened animal expressions and tasteful imagery—even when dealing with death and decomposition. Back matter includes a short glossary and a flow chart tracking the energy as it moves from decomposers up to apex predators, but the main body of the book lacks visual aids or even bolded terms, making this fit for only the most basic, conversational introduction. ”—Ronny Khuri