How to Build Our World Set Two

An easy-to-understand breakdown of ecosystems from the bottom up that teaches about how each component is integral to their respective environments.

The art mixes illustrations and real photographs to show the elements at each stage of the building process with a partnership between the concrete images in the still photographs and conceptual ideas presented in the ­illustrations.

Each ecosystem is built like a diorama with specific pieces such as species in focus one at a time and slowly layered in a way that respects the complexity of the environmental ­sciences without overwhelming students with ­minutiae.

VERDICT This series puts the modeling clay of life science in the hands and minds of students looking for a spark of creation.

“This cheerful How to Build Our World series helps young readers understand environments, layer by layer. Each title builds a particular setting by adding elements one at a time: foundation, surface details, inhabitants, photographs, captions highlighted in bright blocks of color, and a sentence or two of straightforward text. Creating a Coastline is one of the more sophisticated titles, as it considers coastal variations (rocky vs. sandy beaches; the presence of cliffs, dues, or marches) and how both animals and tourists enjoy the shore.

Organize and Ocean is quite accessible for very young audiences; it works its way down, from the ocean’s sunlight layer through the twilight and midnight zones, the abyss, and trenches. In a like manner, Raise a Rain Forest begins at the bottom, with the forest floor, and logically works its way up through the understory, canopy, and emergent layer; the wide selection of animals is appealing, too. Setting Up a City examines an urban setting, tackling infrastructure (water, electricity), buildings (homes, shops, places of worships), and services (transportation, parks, emergency services). All selections emphasize protective green measures, include a glossary, and end with invitations to create additional environments. This visually appealing set reinforces technical vocabulary and will help readers understand how systems connect to one another. "