Library Book: Alien Invasion (Rise and Shine) - Hardcover

Grade 4–6—Lively, well-organized texts profile dozens of organisms that threaten our health and well-being. Jackson succinctly describes the characteristics of more than three dozen invasive species of plants and animals; the variety of ways they entered or were introduced into new habitats; and their negative impact on native ecosystems, commerce, agriculture, etc. Included are the brown tree snake, African clawed frog, kudzu, and snakehead fish. Perritano briefly discusses the distinctive physical and behavioral characteristics of about a dozen common parasites that live on or inside human bodies and how they affect their hosts. Featured invertebrates include bedbugs, fleas, head lice, tapeworms, and mosquitoes. Both titles also outline the efforts of scientists to control or eradicate the organisms. One or more illustrations accompany the text on every page—a mix of sharp, color photographs and some color drawings, maps, life cycle diagrams, etc. Sidebars, directions for one or two activities, and a scientist's profile are also included. Of the two titles, Invasion will be more useful as it surveys a wider variety of organisms and contains some information not available elsewhere. (For instance, it explains that the amount of human-generated trash floating in the oceans has increased so much that alien species can now hitch rides on it to new habitats.) While Bugs is a competent overview, it offers no new data; other, more detailed introductions to most of the same parasites include Shelley Bueche's Bedbugs (Gale, 2005) and Barbara A. Somervill's Fleas: Feasting on Blood (Rosen, 2007).—Karey Wehner, formerly at San Francisco Public Library
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Lively, well-organized... succinctly describes the characteristics of more than three dozen invasive species. Invasion surveys a wider variety of organisms and contains some information not available elsewhere.  --From School Library Journal