Baby Koala. (Nature Babies). Aubrey Lang. Photography by Wayne Lynch. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2004. 36 pp., pbk. & cl., $9.95 (pbk.), $16.95 (cl.). ISBN 1-55041-876-9 (pbk.), ISBN 1-55041-874-2 (cl.). Subject Heading: Koala-Infancy-Juvenile literature. Kindergarten-grade 3 / Ages 5-8. Review by Ming Wong. **** /4
	Baby Sloth. (Nature Babies). Aubrey Lang. Photography by Wayne Lynch. Markham, ON: Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2004. 36 pp., pbk. & cl., $9.95 (pbk.), $16.95 (cl.). ISBN 1-55041-827-0 (pbk.), ISBN 1-55041-825-4 (cl.). Subject Heading: Sloths-Infancy-Juvenile literature. Kindergarten-grade 3 / Ages 5-8. Review by Ming Wong. **** /4

Baby Sloth and Baby Koala are part of the "Nature Babies" series targeted at "the next generation of naturalists" and produced by wife and husband Audrey Lang and Wayne Lynch. The duo has once again produced these wonderful books depicting baby animals in their natural environment.

     Young readers discover that the three-toed sloths can be found in rainforests moving so slowly and sleeping a lot. Baby Sloth introduces readers to the life of a newborn sloth, a life which ranges from eating leaves as a source of food to learning to live alone once the mother leaves him behind at the age of six months. The young sloth grows and along the way learns valuable lessons.

High in the thick mangrove trees, a baby sloth clings to his mother. As he grows, the young sloth learns what leaves are best to eat, and where to climb the treetops to bask in the sunshine after frequent rains. But the sleepy sloth never leaves the safety of the trees. It isn't until his mother finally deserts him that the lonely young sloth must discover the world below all by himself.

     Like the sloth, the baby koala drinks only mother's milk, eats leaves, and learns to survive on its own at a young age. Baby Koala engages young readers to learn that koalas are marsupials and are not koala bears and that eucalyptus leaves are hard to digest. Young readers learn how the babies grow up exploring the different trees in the eucalyptus forest, meeting new creatures in the wilderness, and becoming mother themselves.

The baby koala waits until she is six months old before she emerges from her mother's pouch. The baby isn't that curious about the outside world at first, but she's content to go along for the ride in Mother's pouch. Later she'll piggyback as they search the trees for the most tender eucalyptus leaves. But one day soon the youngster will have to face one of the greatest dangers in a koala's life.

     Baby Sloth and Baby Koala contain a table of contents and an index. Each book includes a "Did You Know?" component of interesting facts. These books are well-written for young readers and are accompanied by beautiful colored photographs of baby animals in the wild. These books would be a great addition to elementary schools and appropriate for all public libraries.

Highly Recommended.

A transplanted Canadian, Ming Wong is a resource center manager for a nonprofit organization in D.C. and a mother of a two-year-old.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

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Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

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