Gr 3-5-Clear, straightforward text describes everything students need for animal research, including physical characteristics, food, life cycles, and effect of humans. Differences in species are noted where relevant, as are the characteristics that distinguish the animal from its relatives; anacondas, for example, are compared to other boas as well as other snakes outside of the family. Notable features of each animal, such as the rat's intelligence and the migration of the monarch butterfly, are well covered. Eye-catching full-page photographs depict and strongly support textual content. Views of the koala's opposable thumbs and rival meerkats battling are among many stellar examples. The threatened status of vultures, koalas, and monarch butterflies are well explained, and the human impact on healthier populations such as meerkats is also addressed. VERDICT Excellent and accessible overviews with strong visual appeal. © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.