School Library Journal Review

Gr 3-6-After beginning with general information about these creatures and how they live in the wild, these titles outline the responsibilities involved in keeping them as pets. Lists of "good points" and "not-so-good points" help readers decide if the animal would be an appropriate addition to their homes. Most of the pages are devoted to advice about keeping one's pet happy and healthy. Subjects such as living arrangements, diet, and health problems are covered. The often-detailed information is clearly presented (e.g., the step-by-step instructions for giving a hermit crab a bath). Lists of daily, weekly, and monthly tasks ensure that the creatures are receiving proper care. The books also touch on the subject of death and include tips to help in the grieving process. Full-color photos scattered throughout the texts add visual appeal. Unfortunately, Hermit Crabs has several typos in its photo captions. Overall, these are nicely balanced sources of information for pet owners.-Arwen Marshall, Minneapolis Public Library (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.