Wave Pools (How It Works)

After flipping through the utterly adorable full-color photos of cute creatures in the You Have a Pet What?! series, youngsters might want to ditch their doggies and rush to their nearest exotic-pets breeder. Before they're out the door, however, make sure they get a load of the comprehensive text, which is packed with practical, clearly written information. Hedgehog profiles the prickly, roly-poly animal, from its shy demeanor and primitive origins to where to look if it escapes its cage. Mini Horse offers an overview of care, grooming, and decoding horse behavior, and though the author doesn't explicitly mention how much space these eensie equines require, she does a good job of describing how serious a commitment owning a mini horse can be. Though the photos in Mini Pig might be the cutest of the bunch, the text wisely warns readers about how big mini pigs can grow (100 lbs.!), their potentially destructive behavior, and their very long life span. Similarly, Sugar Glider doesn't soften the realities of owning these delicate creatures: they require several hours of active attention per night. Though most kids will be (thankfully) dissuaded by the amount of specialized care these animals require, the beautifully reproduced photos of oddball pets are undeniably appealing, and there are enough fascinating and informative facts to keep readers enthralled. Highly recommended.
--Sarah Hunter, Booklist Adorable, full-color photos of unusual animals (mini pigs, sugar gliders, hedgehogs, etc.) give this pet-care series instant browsing appeal. But the comprehensive text, packed with practical, clearly written information, makes these guides excellent resources as well. -Booklist, April 2016

A look at the technology that makes wave pools work.