School Library Journal

Series Review: Each title in this series begins with a brief description of the ecosystem and the idea that energy passes through the food web. Examples of organisms at each level are introduced—producers, consumers, decomposers. The narrative builds up from plants to apex predators and shows how everything is connected, emphasizing that if one species disappears it will affect the entire web. Illustrations show a variety of life within the ecosystem, not just those mentioned in the text. They include interesting details without being overly gory; several of the animals have almost human expressions of surprise on their faces as they are caught by predators. Supporting material includes a glossary, a diagram of the food web with color-coded arrows identifying the trophic level of each component, and suggested websites. -VERDICT A good introduction for early elementary students.