How Do We Live Together? Raccoons

April 1, 2010
Gr 2-5-Humans and animals frequently find themselves to be in uncomfortable proximity. These books encourage readers to understand their wild neighbors, to learn how the animals might be important to the environment, to think about their own relationship with them, and to seek out community members such as zookeepers or policemen who might have further knowledge and experience to impart. The titles introduce the animal, look at it in more detail, and suggest solutions to the clash in habitats. Some of the animals covered are predators and need to be avoided, while others need our protection. The books are illustrated with up-close color photographs of the animals; most are shown in their natural habitats; "Raccoons" shows the animals sifting through garbage cans, trying to open plastic bags, and sneaking around domestic cats as they enter human territory. These titles are especially useful at steering the topic to an issue many readers can relate toprotecting their pets. While children cannot make all of the decisions that involve sharing outdoor spaces with a wild animal, they can certainly take a proactive role in ensuring their domestic animals safety. Kids who like their nonfiction local and relatable will relish these volumes.

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2010
Grades 1-3 This entry in the Community Connections: How Do We Live Together? series does a fine job of explaining how raccoons survive in the wilds of suburbia. The text is split into three sectionsWhos in the Garbage?, A Closer Look at Raccoons, and Sharing the Great Outdoorswherein kids learn such facts as rabies are dangerous and raccoons are nocturnal. There are plenty of pictures of cute, furry bandits rummaging through trash cans, eating from cat-food bowls, and generally being a nuisance. Raatma encourages interested children to seek out more information from a wildlife expert and to discourage raccoons by moving pet-food dishes indoors and pointing out to adults areas where the creatures might get into the house. Though bolded vocabulary words like den and habitat appear throughout, the book lacks photos of raccoons in their natural setting, nor does the author dwell on the reasons why theyve adopted new survival skills, la Dumpster diving. The book concludes with a glossary, an index, and some kid-friendly Web sites for further research.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)