Polar Pals

Meet some amazing animal friends in this nonfiction exploration of the icy arctic.

Learn fun facts about each animal as you enjoy the beautiful photographs taken by photographer James Roberts. Animals featured include:

• Arctic hare

• Arctic fox

• Polar bear

• Fur seal

• King penguin

• Gyrfalcon

• Ptarmigan

A great first step in exploring nonfiction for little ones.—Kirkus Reviews - Kirkus Reviews

A quick overview of some arctic animals.

This board book describes the arctic hare, arctic fox, polar bear, fur seal, and king penguin. Images show each animal up close and in detail, giving readers a peek at each in its environment. The facts range from those likely to be familiar (“fur seals have a thick layer of blubber and extra fur to keep them warm in their cold habitat”), while others might be lesser known—for instance, arctic foxes’ fur changes color depending on the season. The text is concise, which makes for an age-appropriate book but does also mean that there are missed opportunities to answer every child’s favorite next question: Why? Readers may wonder, for instance, why king penguins gather in large groups. Still, this is a nice jumping-off point for caregivers and educators looking to bring in additional texts or information to share with curious kids. This one is practically tailor-made for a preschool classroom literacy center or a home with an animal enthusiast.

A great first step in exploring nonfiction for little ones.—Kirkus Reviews—Kirkus Reviews

Simple text introduces young readers to animals that live in the arctic regions. Stunning photographs provide close-up views of the different animals, and the accompanying text describes what makes each of the animals unique for their cold environment. Animals included are the arctic hare, arctic fox, polar bear, fur seal and king penguin. VERDICT This small, neat presentation of some arctic animals will have young animal lovers eager to move on to more expansive books with more information.—School Library Journal—School Library Journal

James has been a professional wilderness guide since 2006. While working in our planet's remote and beautiful regions, he loves taking photos of the natural world he visits and sharing them with others. He hopes that it reminds people how important it is to protect these amazing wild spaces.