Amphibian, Reptile, Mammal Unit
Book, Video, Internet Resource
Suggestions
The number following the author’s name is how many copies are in the JMRL Library
system. The letter before the title references whether it is a book on (A) amphibians,
® Reptiles, or (M) mammals. There are many, many others in the library. If there is an animal that is of great interest to your child, you will want to look up other resources. Have Fun!
Easy Reading Books:
1. (A) Red-Eyed Tree Frog (9) by Joy Cowley
Very easy reading book with beautiful pictures. The red-eyed tree frog lives in swampy parts of the rain forests in Central America. Interesting information on animals that prey on this creature as well as what food it is interested in.
2. ®About Reptiles (1) by Cathryn Sill
Very easy to read with great pictures of many reptiles. There is further information listed in the back of the book for those who would like to know more.
3. ® Turtles (8) by the Cousteau Society
Very easy reading book about the Green Sea Turtle. Short with nice photos.
4. ®Turtles (1) by Timothy Levi Biel
This is a hardback version of the zoobook on turtles. Good information and pictures are included. The contents include a turtle’s shell, tortoises, a young turtle’s life and much more!
5. ®Snake (10) by Rebecca Stefoff
This is a great beginning book on snakes. Very good pictures and information.
6. ® Snakes! ( 9) by Lucille Recht Penner
Step into reading book on snakes. Very good pictures and easy to read.
7. ®First A Look at Snakes, Lizards And Other Reptiles (6) by Millicent E. Selsam &
Joyce Hunt -----Very easy, interesting text with black and white pictures. It would be very helpful for a first look at what makes a reptile a reptile and what the different groups are.
8. ®Slinky, Scaly, Slithery Snakes (9) by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent
This is one of my family’s favorite authors! Mrs. Patent has a way of really bringing her topic alive and making it interesting. The introduction reads, ‘You would think it would be hard to survive in the wild without legs. But look at snakes! More than 2,500 different kinds of snakes slither and creep throughout the world……’ The drawings are done very colorfully and scientifically accurate. Definitely a favorite at our home!
9. ®First Field Guide, Reptiles (National Audobon Society) (10) by John L. Behler
Excellent beginner’s field guide for reptiles.
10. (A & R)A Golden Guide, Reptiles and Amphibians (8)by Herbert Zim and Hobart M. Smith 212 full color species. Great for kids.
11. (A & R)The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Reptiles and Amphibians(5)by John L. Behler An adult guide book. A lot of good pictures and thorough information.
12. (M) Paws and Claws (1)by Henry Pluckrose
Very easy reading book. Contains mammals as well as animals from some other groups. This would be a good book for students to look through and name the mammals that they find.
13. (M)Baby Whales Drink Milk (7) by Barbara Juster Esbensen
Easy reading book on a unique type of mammal.
14. (M)Africa’s Animal Giants (7) by Jane R. McCauley
I highly recommend this title. It is easy to read yet covers a lot of material on many, many different and interesting animals. Animals include lions, hippos, cape buffalo, and giraffe, to name several that are included. Great pictures.
15. (M) Wolves (5) by Gail Gibbons
People have tended to be afraid of wolves, yet they are peaceful and shy. Great pictures and reading. (Skip page 4 on the evolutionary age given for wolves).
Step-up readers followed by more in depth reading:
1. (A)A Frog’s Body (3) by Joanna Cole
This title covers a lot of information about frogs. Simple language and pictures explain the frog’s external body, skeleton, senses, and internal organs. An amphibian, the frog has special adaptations for aquatic life. Very interesting!
2. (A)Amphibians Today, Basic Domestic Pet Library (2)
by John Coborn This author goes over information on keeping reptiles and amphibians as pets.
Skip the evolutionary information on page three, and enjoy the glossy photo inserts. There is a
lot of reading here, but well worth checking out for the beautiful pictures and descriptions. Also,
if you have any interest in keeping one of these creatures as a pet, this would be a great find!
3. (A)Salamanders (1) by Cherie Winner
Salamanders are a neat example of amphibians. Of the more than 350 species of salamander, some live only in water, others live only on land; some have lungs, and others breathe through their skin. Read this title with its many beautiful photographs to find out more!
4. (A)Slippery Babies, young Frogs, Toads, and Salamanders (9)
by Judy Cutchins This title offers a look at the variety of ways some young frogs, toads, and
salamanders survive and grow during their first years of life. Beautiful photos!
5. ® Reptiles Do the Strangest Things (4) by Leonora and Arthur Hornblow
This is a step-up reader which is very interesting and easy to read. There is a reference made to the age of the earth on page 7, but this is the only evolutionary statement that I saw. –Full of interesting information on the 5 kinds of reptiles: lizards, turtles, snakes, crocodilians, tuataras.
6. ®Reptiles, a new true book (7) by Lois Ballard
How are reptiles alike? Which reptiles have shells on their backs?Which have no legs? Read this title to find out the answers and much more!
7. ®Amazing Crocodiles and Reptiles (7) by Mary Ling
This is an eyewitness junior book. Included is information on snakes, alligators, lizards, and crocodiles. Did you know that lizards can be useful? Some of them make wonderful house guests and run around lapping up flies and mosquitoes. Another favorite!
8. ®Alligators and Other Crocodilians (6) by Gari D. Fairweather
This title is in the World Book’s Animals of the World series.Beautiful photos and a lot of great information can be found in this title.
9. ® Boa Constrictors, (9) an imagination library series, world’s largest snakes, by Valerie J.
Weber. Very interesting information on the boa constrictor.
10. ®Poisonous Snakes (6) by Norman Barrett
There are three main kinds of poisonous snakes: the elapid family, vipers, and back-fanged snakes. Included are great pictures of the differences in the three kinds.
11. ®Poisonous Snakes (3) by Seymour Simon
This title is full of great information. This one is for the student who really wants to learn a lot about poisonous snakes! Mr. Simon tells where these snakes live, what they eat, and how they behave. Very simple sketches are included with loads of information.
12. ®Snakes (1) by Seymour Simon
A great book with beautiful photographs. What animal can smell with its tongue, swallow an animal larger than its own head, and grow to be longer than a school bus? A snake, of course! There is a neat photo included of a baby snake hatching out of an egg.
13. (M)Polar Bear Cubs (7) by Downs Matthews
This title follows a female polar bear and her two cubs through the brief Arctic summer, from the cubs’ first steps outside the den and wary encounters with other Arctic animals.
14. (M)Wolves (4) by Seymour Simon
Another title by one of my favorite authors. Wolves are portrayed as villains in many fairy tales: remember what happened to the three little pigs and to Red Riding Hood’s grandmother? Mr. Simon dispels this misconception of wolves. He explains just what those big ears and teeth and eyes are for and how wolves use their senses, natural intelligence, and sophisticated social structure to survive in the wild. Great information and photographs!
15. (M)Wild Animal Families (2) by Margaret Davidson
This title focuses on mammal babies. It explains how they are born, fed and protected, how they play and learn and are disciplined. Very simple text with black and white sketches of various animals.
16. (M)Whales (10) by Seymour Simon Great pictures and information on whales.
Video suggestions:
1. (A) All About Amphibians (2) (Animal Life For Children Series) by Schlessinger media. This is an excellent video on amphibians. It is 23 minutes long. It covers what the characteristics of amphibians are, how to set up an aquarium to watch the life-cycle of the frog, what
amphibians prey on, and what preys on them! Highly recommend. (**note: there are one or two
items included which are evolutionary in content. They are such a small part of the video that
you could go over them with your child.)
2. ® All About Reptiles (1) (Animal Life For Children Series) by Schlessinger media. This is an excellent video on reptiles. It is 23 minutes long. It covers the six types of reptiles and 5 characteristics they have in common. Highly recommend.
3. ® Reptile, (3) an eyewitness video. This video contains a lot of great
information on reptiles. Did you know that lizards clean their eyes with their tongues? Did you know that a tortoise is strong enough to hold up a car? Excellent video.
(**note: There are one or two times that an evolutionary statement is made. These are such a small portion, that you could go over this with your child)
4. (M) All About Mammals (2) (Animal Life For Children Series) by
Schlessinger media. This is an excellent video on mammals. It is 23 minutes long. It covers the characteristics that mammals have in common and what makes them different from amphibians and reptiles. Do you know what mammal lays eggs? Highly recommend.
5. (A,R,M) All About Animal Adaptations (2) by Schlessinger media. This is an
excellent video which goes over all types of animals and how they adapt to their
surroundings. Very good information. Video is 23 minutes long.(**note: There is once that the narrator says that the adaptations happened by chance. Of course, we know how animals adapt to their surroundings is in the plan of our creator! A few cases where evolution is mentioned, but again, it is such a small part that you could explain this to your child.
6. ® Bill Nye the Science Guy, Reptiles and Insects (Leapin’ Lizards!)(3)
This is an excellent video on reptiles and insects. The reptile portion lasts about 25 minutes; the entire video is 50 minutes long. There is a good explanation of what cold-blooded means. There is great filming of reptiles in their natural habitats. One section that is especially good is where they show the 4 Virginia poisonous snakes; a copperhead, water moccasin, eastern diamondback rattlesnake, and a coral snake. (There is one reference to the age of reptiles being millions of years) The insect section has a strange song about insects ruling, but the reptiles section is great!
7. (M) Friendly Forest Club – Wolves (2)A 30 minute informational video on wolves. Well done!
8. (A,R,M) Animal Life for Children, All About Animal Behavior and Communication(2)
by Schlessinger media. Students will learn about instinctive and learned behaviors that help animals find food, protect themselves and care for their young. Excellent video.
9. (A,R,M) Animal Life for Children, All About Endangered and Extinct Animals(2)
by Schlessinger media. Students will learn about the natural and man-made factors that lead to the endangerment and extinction of animals. Discover how changing conditions on Earth led to the extinction of dinosaurs, and find out why animals such as the koala and giant panda face an uphill battle for survival. Video is 23 minutes long.
Highly recommend. ( negative comment: this video seems to be very down on population growth)
10. (A,R,M) Animal Life for Children, All About Animal Needs(2) by Schlessinger media.
Animals need the same things people do-air, food, water, and shelter. But each animal has different ways of fulfilling these needs. Students will learn how animals stay healthy and full of energy. My favorite part was learning about the mysterious navanax, who roams the ocean floor acting as the ‘vacuum cleaner of the sea’. Did you know that lizards in the desert fulfill their need for water by eating insects? Video is 23 minutes long and is full of great information.
11. (A,R,M) Animal Life for Children, All About Animal Life Cycles (2)by Schlessinger
media. This 23 minute presentation goes through the life cycle of many different animals. Great information!
Parental Caution:
***I was very disappointed that the eyewitness video on mammals had three instances where nudity is shown. I recommend skipping this one.***I previewed the eyewitness video on amphibians. There were scary parts about witches and vampires in it as well as loads of evolutionary material.
Internet resources:
1. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/mammals/
This website has information and activities on mammals
2. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/reptiles/printouts.shtml
This website has interesting information on reptiles as well as activity printouts.
3. http://www.enchantedlearning.com/coloring/amphibians.shtml
information and activity printouts on amphibians
4. http://www.enature.com/guides/select_Reptiles_and_Amphibians.asp
online guide for amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. Great resource for reports and printable pictures.
5. http://www.nature.ca/notebooks/english/mon2.htm
Great website! Click on amphibians, reptiles, or mammals to see a sketch of many different species as well as information. Highly recommend
6. http://members.aol.com/bats4kids2/look.htm
anatomy of a bat and other batty information