The Tundra by Maria Mudd-Ruth, Maria Mudd Ruth, Maria Mudd Ruth

Children's Literature

In an eminently readable text that is accompanied by appropriate full-color illustrations, young researchers learn about the vast open space at the northern edge of our continent. This treeless land stretches from Alaska across vast expanses of Canada and all the way up to the Arctic Ocean. As Ruth makes clear, this is not really a barren land--it teems with life and is a vital ecosystem. The cycle of migration, the roles of prey and predators, and the beauty of the flora and fauna are all there for readers to enjoy. Ruth states the pros and cons of development and exploitation of the rich mineral resources fairly. She recounts, for example, the situation of the snow geese whose feeding grounds have expanded into the Midwest. This has allowed the population to increase to such proportions that they are destroying crops and the tundra, which is wrecking havoc with other species. Some recommend letting nature take its course, while others recommend human interventions. There are no easy answers or clear solutions for maintaining balance. Words in bold type are defined in the glossary. There is a resource list of books and organizations and an index in this excellent resource, which is part of the "Ecosystems of North America" series. One minor flaw--the map doesn't show the new province Nunavut.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-8-These titles are attractively produced and visually pleasing. However, the fact-dense prose tends to give a dry, textbook tone to both of them. In Forest, the map locates evergreen forests, aspen-birch forests, peatlands, and beaver ponds in such a general way that students may actually be misled about their range. Beaver ponds appear to exist only in the northeastern and north central U.S., and the mass of Canada and southern Alaska show only evergreen forest. Even the range of the boreal forest in Alaska does not appear to be accurately depicted. Also, a sidebar about the beaver trade ends in mid-sentence. Tundra also features a map that may mislead as much as it informs. It shows summer and year-round homes of certain fauna but includes a small disclaimer: "Areas shown are not the only residence of these animals"-with no further explanation. There is no indication of why the particular areas were featured as homelands for these species when their ranges in most cases are much more extensive. Stick with April Sayre's Tundra (21st Century, 1995), Donna Walsh Shepherd's Tundra (Watts, 1996), Bruce Hiscock's Tundra (Atheneum, 1986; o.p.), or Donald Silver's Arctic Tundra (Learning Triangle, 1997).-Sue Sherif, Fairbanks North Star Borough Public Library, AK Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.|

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