The titles in this series not only focus on the climate and physical geography of each biome but point out differentiations within them, such as boreal, temperate, and tropical forests. They provide examples of the biome’s flora and fauna, which are also depicted in a visual chart.

Hansen succeeds at the difficult task of reducing complex topics to their essential elements for young readers. Besides identifying the important characteristics of each biome, she notes distinctions, such as arctic and alpine tundra and boreal, temperate, and tropical forests. She also provides representative examples of the biome’s plants and animals. The oversize format, featuring a large photo in each spread, makes the books good choices for group sharing. Well-designed, basic introductions to the important features of various biomes. First choices for most collections.