Bark Scorpion

The desert is a harsh and unforgiving environment and home to a collection of unique animals with special characteristics which allow them to live and thrive there. The well-written text explores physical characteristics, diet, predators, and the young. Colorful full-page photographs, text bubbles, and diagrams perfectly complement the age-appropriate text. A critical thinking question is included in each spread. Each title includes a Science Lab section which presents students with a challenge based on the text. These would be appropriate for use in a learning center to promote independent learning. Photographs of prey being eaten might disturb some readers, but most students will be captivated by the fascinating animals described in each title.

All that a young arachnologist would want to know about the bark scorpion appears in this installment in the Desert Animals Searchin’ for Shade series. The large-font sentences and highlighted vocab words accompany open-ended questions at the end of each two-page spread, and each section following the page turn provides the informative answer. Full-color, sometimes full-page photos, paired with helpful captions, reveal the eight-legged creatures and their parts, such as pincers and stingers, as well as some behaviors, like baby scorpions riding on an adult scorpion’s back. The end material includes information on writing a report on the bark scorpion and a short picture glossary. Though demand for a book about such a specific creature might seem slim, kids who love animals, especially the creepy kind, will find plenty to like about this title.