Biome Geo Facts

Eight titles comprise the “Geo Facts” series of books which provide short snippets of general information about a variety of topics. Averaging 14 chapters each, the books discuss a subject followed by “Focus On” sections which give specific examples related to the topic. For instance, in the title about mountains, the subtopic is changing mountains. After a description of how mountains change over time, there is a double-page spread about the Alps and the forces that have shaped this mountain range, altering its initial appearance. The text is written in fairly short sentences, with one paragraph devoted to each sub-heading. Even though, by design, the format of the books is facts¸ the books so bombard the reader with quick facts that there is very little absorption on the part of the reader and the facts become almost instantly forgettable.

Interspersed among the pages are bits of trivia, two examples being that there is an area in Antarctica that has not had any precipitation for more than two million years and that 90% of the people who are killed in avalanches started the avalanche themselves. There are also “Fact File” text boxes which provide additional information. One wonders how useful some of these titles will be to the target audience, specifically the title about population and settlement. It seems unlikely that a student will voluntarily sign this book out of the library. And the topics in the other titles have been done so many times before. Illustrations consist of maps, photos, charts, timelines, diagrams and simple drawings with little detail. There is a short quiz at the back of each book, but this quiz consists only of recall-type questions. A table of contents, a glossary, an index and a brief list of related books and websites are included.

Biome Geo Facts begins with a definition of a biome and several examples. The opening pages provide a map indicating the location of various biomes in the world and showing which specific areas will be discussed in this title. There is general information about each biome followed by a closer look at it. For instance, the Amazon rain forest represents rain forests while the ocean biome is represented by the Great Barrier Reef. Physical and behavioural adaptations of some of the flora and fauna are also featured along with information about the problems – fires, sandstorms, water pollution and deforestation – that are leading to endangered species.

Earthquake Geo Facts is, perhaps, the most technical of the series’ titles. It highlights terms such as seismic waves, plate boundaries, tectonic plates, conservative boundaries and subduction. Topics include the effects of earthquakes, such as tsunamis, landslides, mudslides, avalanches and liquefaction; designing earthquake-proof buildings; measuring seismic activity on both the Richter and the Mercalli scales; rescue efforts following an earthquake; and forecasting earthquakes though monitoring ground movement. Some of the most destructive earthquakes are featured: San Francisco’s 1906 quake which was felt from Oregon to Las Angeles, Peru’s earthquake of 1970 which affected an area nearly the size of Portugal, and the Japanese earthquake of 2011 which measured 9.0 on the Richter scale.

Earth’s Resources Geo Facts focuses on natural resources, both renewable and non-renewable. Topics include mining, forestry, water, farming, fishing, fossil fuels, renewable energy, and garbage and recycling. Various forms of energy – solar, wind, water, geothermal and biomass – are mentioned. A map shows the main resource exports of countries all around the globe. There are examples of the environmental impact that the depletion of some natural resources can have, two of them being that bauxite quarries have destroyed rain forests and that biodiversity is lost when one species of tree is replanted in an area that was once home to several species. This title also offers suggestions as to how to protect and conserve natural resources.

Mountain Geo Facts describes how mountains are formed and the differences between fold, block and volcanic mountains. The focus here is on the Andes, Alps, Rockies and Himalayas. Readers will learn about the causes and effects of erosion on mountains. It is interesting to note that the Matterhorn was once hill-shaped, but the expansion and contraction of water and ice in the rocks have caused the rocks to fracture and fall down the mountain, thus changing it to a pyramidal shape. Readers will also learn that the highest mountain and the tallest are not one and the same: the highest, Mt. Everest, is measured from sea level to peak, while the tallest, Mauna Kea, is measured from base to peak as most of it is underwater. Other topics include the biomes, climate and oxygen levels, and the physical adaptations of flora and fauna which allow them to live in mountainous regions.

Population and Settlement Geo Facts explains population distribution and density, life expectancy and other factors determined by low, middle and high incomes, and how a population is affected by epidemics, wars, natural disasters, immigration and emigration. A time line demonstrates that it is taking less time to increase the world population by a billion people. In this title, there is information about the problems of overpopulation and wasting of precious resources. Readers will also learn about the basis for the optimum location of a settlement and the usual layout of a town or city. Regeneration of the inner city, achieved through the demolition of old buildings and the erection of new housing and office buildings, has its problems in that gentrification results in higher prices and rent. It is doubtful that this title will have much relevance for the average fourth or fifth-grader.

River and Coast Geo Facts discusses types of coasts – beaches, cliffs, dunes and salt marshes – and how erosion can change coastlines, creating bays, headlands, caves, arches and stacks. The Twelve Apostles, on the southern coast of Australia (and one of the featured areas in this title), is a good example of stack formation. Another main topic is the structure of a river, from its source to the upper, middle and lower courses, and, ultimately, to its mouth. Waterfalls, gorges, meanders, oxbow lakes and deltas are some of the geographical features formed by rivers. Erosion, dams and flooding are other topics covered. Once again, it is doubtful that an elementary school student would find this title to be an interesting read.

Beginning with a definition of the water cycle, Water Cycle Geo Facts focuses on the concepts of evaporation, condensation and transpiration and provides information about the types of precipitation and clouds. Readers will learn that the amount of cloud cover is measured by oktas which give an estimate of how many eighths of the sky are cloud-covered. This trivial information is of no significance to the reader; it is merely another piece of trivia that could have been eliminated from the text. Other topics include fresh and salt water, the water table, different types of rainfall, and some of the ways in which humans use water.

Finally, Volcano Geo Facts explains how scientists determine whether or not a volcano is active, dormant or extinct, how volcanoes are formed, the various shapes of volcanoes (shield, stratovolcano, cinder cone and supervolcano) and how volcanic eruptions are predicted. There are different types of eruptions as well as different kinds of lava, an example of which is pillow lava which creates islands, Iceland among them. Both the positive and negative effects of volcanic eruption are listed. Positive effects include the creation of fertile soil, new islands and geothermal energy, and the negative effects consist of landscape change, destroyed habitats, mudslides, tsunamis, and airplane engine damage and breathing problems due to the ash in the air.

Though there is some good information in the “Geo Facts” series, some titles will be more popular and useful than others for the target audience.