Animal Lives is a set of seven hard cover books published by World Book. The titles in the set are Birds, Mammals, Amphibians, Mollusks and Similar Sea Creatures, Insects and Spiders, Reptiles, and Fish. Each title is 48-pages long and includes a glossary and an index, as well as a list of websites and books that provide more information on the topic. This set is intended for students in kindergarten through sixth grade.

Each two-page spread is designed to answer a question (such as "Do Mammals Hibernate?" "What are Caecilians?" and "What Senses Do Fish Have?"). At the top of the page, the question is shown in a box, and there is a short answer to the question. The two-page spread then expands on the answer using short paragraphs and pictures relating to the question. The pictures in these books are wonderful. They are bright and vivid and capture the reader's interest. Many pages also have a "Fun Fact" box that gives a short, interesting fact. Difficult words are in bold and are defined in the glossary in the back of the book. Each book ends with two similar questions: "Why Are Some Mammals Endangered?" and "How Can We Protect Mammals?" (Of course, the animals in question depend on the topic of the book.) The books touch on pollution, global warming, hunting, and making laws to protect endangered species as answers to these questions. The seven books each also include a multiple-choice quiz, and instructions for completing a research project on an endangered animal.

These books are full of beautiful pictures as well as great information. My older sons (10, 9, and 7) all enjoyed reading them, and my younger sons (7 and 4) enjoyed looking at the pictures. The set is currently priced at $153. While they are quality hardcover reference books, each book is only 48 pages long. Because of the price, I would not purchase these books myself, so I cannot recommend them.

Product review by Courtney Larson, The Old Schoolhouse® Magazine, LLC, February 2010