The latest set in the Curious About Pets series (6 new titles) welcomes readers to the world of exotics, showing kids a wonderful range of critters to consider, from furry to shelled to scaled. The highly visual volumes divide their content into three chapters that nicely balance white space with crisp, close-up animal photos and colorful infographics, often comparing breeds or breaking down an animal’s diet or behavior. As always, the main text is propelled by catchy questions that children will want to have answered. Ferrets starts with a bang, asking “Why do ferrets smell weird?”—leading to a discussion of oil glands and cage maintenance. These books make good first stops in one’s research process, providing light overviews of each animal’s behavior and basic needs and care requirements. A “Learn More” page supplies readers with additional resources and activity suggestions.

A question-and-answer format intro- duces pets to prospective owners. Content touches on physical features, behavioral traits, and care. Practical questions about topics such as size and food are nicely bal- anced with ones that address specific behav- iors, such as ferrets’ toy-hoarding or a turtle’s hiss. Visually appealing photographs depict a variety of species engaged in interesting activities, though they don’t show kids interacting with the animals or the pet enclo- sures described in the text. Closing spreads provide resources for more detailed pet care information that readers may want to pur- sue. VERDICT A solid introduction for kids interested in less common pets.