CATS

A matched pair of vintage Simons explores humankind’s favorite house pets. Each covers, respectively, cat and dog physiology, infancy and kitten- and puppy-hood, the various different types of cats and dogs (the former organized by hair length, the latter by breed group), and ends with a brief discussion of pet care. They adhere to the well-established Simon format, matching striking photographs to lucid text; very few pictures have captions, however, which is annoying in books that devote so much space to discussing breed individuation. Where they’re strong, however, is in the exploration of the biology of their subjects, delivering such morsels as, “You have five million smell cells in your nose. A German shepherd or a bloodhound has more than two hundred million . . . ” (cats have 19 million), or, “Cats have whiskers on the chin, over the eyes, and on the backs of their front legs—not just on the upper lip.” Solid, if not remarkable, offerings that provide just enough information for primary-graders without overwhelming. (Nonfiction. 5-8)