How Things Work: In the Yard

Graph paper%E2%80%93style backgrounds emphasize the schematic approach to nature that Campbell-Ernst uses to explain how different items and creatures%E2%80%94such as birds, butterflies, rocks, and dirt%E2%80%94that can be found in a typical backyard "work." There's a playful aesthetic in evidence, from the bright palette and friendly cut-paper artwork to the innate humor in some of the questions themselves ("How does a squirrel work?"). The various parts of the animals, plants, and objects are labeled, and brief facts about each subject dot the spreads ("Each kind of firefly has its own special pattern of flashing"). It's an elegantly designed primer to the natural world. Ages 4%E2%80%938. (May)