Heos, Bridget  Do You Really Want a Guinea Pig?
Gr. K–3     24 pp.     Amicus Illustrated

Heos, Bridget  Do You Really Want a Lizard?
Gr. K–3     24 pp.     Amicus Illustrated

Heos, Bridget  Do You Really Want a Snake?
Gr. K–3     24 pp.     Amicus Illustrated

Heos, Bridget  Do You Really Want a Turtle?
Gr. K–3     24 pp.     Amicus Illustrated

Illustrated by Katya Longhi. Do You Really Want a Pet? series. This series' presentation is playful but offers helpful information about the different animals, how to keep them healthy, and how much human interaction each animal needs. Whimsical illustrations show kids taking care of pets and the animals in silly situations. An appended quiz helps readers determine which pets may be the best fit for them. Reading list, websites.
Subjects: Domestic Animals; Animals—Turtles; Animals—Tortoises; Pets; Animals—Guinea pigs; Animals—Snakes; Animals—Lizards

Kaelberer, Angie Peterson  Favorite Cat Breeds: Persians, Abyssinians, Siamese, Sphynx, and All the Breeds In-Between
Gr. 4–6     32 pp.     Capstone

Webster, Maureen  Cat Speak: Revealing Answers to the Strangest Cat Behaviors
Gr. 4–6     32 pp.     Capstone

Snap Books: Cats Rule! series. Breeds covers the development and defining characteristics of several cat breeds. Speak offers interpretations of common behaviors and recommendations for raising a happy pet. Personable texts are accompanied by high-quality stock photos, helpful charts, definitions, and sidebars. Both are appended with projects and discussion questions; Breeds includes a "Which Cat Breed Is Best for You?" quiz. Reading list. Glos., ind.
Subjects: Domestic Animals; Animals—Cats; Pets

Murray, Laura K.  Retrievers
Gr. K–3     24 pp.     Creative Education

Murray, Laura K.  Terriers
Gr. K–3     24 pp.     Creative Educatio

Riggs, Kate  Beagles
Gr. K–3     24 pp.     Creative Education

Riggs, Kate  Bulldogs
Gr. K–3     24 pp.     Creative Education

Seedlings series. This well-designed kindergarten-level series introduces four common dog breeds with friendly texts and lots of attractive, glossy photos. The information is very elementary, but the books are successful introductions to nonfiction for emerging readers. A concluding spread features an anatomically labeled photo of the dog and a couple of close-ups of specific features. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.
Subjects: Domestic Animals; Animals—Dogs; Pets

Patent, Dorothy Hinshaw  Decorated Horses
Gr. 4–6     48 pp.      Charlesbridge

Illustrated by Jeannie Brett. From Egyptian chariot racers to samurai mounts to draft horses to circus performers, each spread features a brief you-are-there text facing a watercolor, gouache, pastel, and colored-pencil illustration of a horse bedecked in appropriate finery. The inclusion of examples across cultures and centuries is comprehensive. A final spread identifies horse body parts and tack. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind.
Subjects: Domestic Animals; Animals—Horses

Weintraub, Robert  No Better Friend: A Man, a Dog, and Their Incredible True Story of Friendship and Survival in World War II
Middle school, high school     291 pp.     Little

Readers meet Judy, an English pointer who saved numerous lives in the Pacific theater of WWII. The deep affection between Judy and Frank Williams, a British POW, demonstrates the loyalty of man's best friend under the most horrific of conditions. This adaptation of Weintraub's book for adults has connections for dog lovers and history buffs alike. Timeline. Bib.
Subjects: Modern History; Animals—Dogs; Pets; History, Modern—World War II; Prisoners of war; War

From the October 2016 issue of Nonfiction Notes from the Horn Book.