Rats! The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly ( Richard Conniff) NY: Crown Publishers: 2002

Informational: Middle 35 pg

Summary: Rats are actually not as dirty as previously thought. They breed quickly and grow quickly. They eat any food they can find and are able to sense poison in food. Many countries try to combat their rat problems by eating them.

Critique: This book was interesting. It used a picture book format but had a LOT of facts on each page. Made learning about rats interesting.

Activity (Before): What are some things you know about rats?
(After) Did you learn anything new?

Many facts about rats are told by this author. He begins with the basics of reproduction and follows with defining what a rat is. He discusses their amazing adaptation skills and demonstrates that they are actually clean animals. He uses accurate information with his many discriptions and provides useful information for those who are interested in rats and rat related sicknesses. I would incorporate this book when we would be getting ready to disect rats. The explanation of many rat facts may clear up any misconceptions on their dirty reputation before disection. This one was not my favorie rat book. No glossary and table of content were provided; only an index.