Angry Birds Playground: Animals

Angry Birds Playground: Animals
By Jill Esbaum
National Geographic, c2012. 127 pages. Nonfiction.

This book begins just like the famous app: pigs have stolen the Angry Birds' eggs, and the hunt to find them is on! The Angry Birds search all over the world, including rainforest, desert, ocean, grassland, and polar habitats. They encounter many animals along the way, learning about who lays eggs, and what different habitats are like. There are nice photographs, maps, and interesting facts, accompanied by cartoons of the birds. The birds interject such witty comments as (re: burrowing owls), "They look angry...I knew there was something I liked about these guys!" With more than a hundred pages of animals to explore, the egg hunt is extensive but fun. There is a lot here to entertain your little reader, including quiz questions and bonus activities. Although the Angry Birds-National Geographic connection is a bit of a stretch, it's a successful tactic to get kids to check out this fun animal guide. (Angry Birds Space is coming soon.)

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