Dung Beetle vs. Tarantula Hawk is part of the Animal Battles series. In this series, two animals face off against each other. Each book starts off with a description of the two competitors, their attack moves, their secret weapons and then finally the battle. The narrative text at the end describes the fight scene and will certainly catch the reader’s’ attention. The book has 4-5 sentences per page for each animal and color photographs.

Text features such as bold words, text boxes, maps, a table of contents, glossary and an index are incorporated to aid the readers. Profiles of animal statistics include the height and weight as well as the physical advantages of each animal and habitat.

In Dung Beetle vs. Tarantula Hawk, the two insects meet underground. Each insect has unique characteristics that could lead to it winning this face-off. Which will come out on top? This series is perfect for fans of Who Would Win.

The popular Animal Battles series continues to grow with these provoking new pairings. Based on animals’ abilities to punch the same class rather than a likelihood of their actually fighting each other in the wild, the theoretical battles are inarguably entertaining. Each volume’s four short chapters (“The Competitors,” “Secret Weapons,” “Attack Moves,” and “Ready, Fight!”) are packed with photos, infographics, facts, and stats, ideal for reluctant readers and visual learners. Quick profiles of the featured animals open the proceedings, with general information about the creatures conveyed on individual spreads as well as on a page of infographics for each that relates their size, weight, habitat, and range. Their deadly physical features and abilities are similarly presented, and a fictional encounter in which the two go head-to-head brings each book to a close. Big cats face off in Asiatic Lion vs. Bengal Tiger, in which readers will learn eye-opening facts about the large claws and incisors of these fierce felines. In Badger vs. Bobcat, these North American mammals bring bravado and stealth to the floor for a ferocious face-off. Mantis Shrimp vs. Lionfish takes readers below the sea, where the mantis shrimp punches fast enough to boil the surrounding water and the lionfish sports venomous spines. A nighttime rumble goes down in Skunk vs. Raccoon, pitting stink against sharp teeth. A fun, engaging series.

From insects to fish to reptiles, “Animal Battles” envisions what would happen if two predators went head to head. Before the battle, an overview is provided of the competitors, including their physical characteristics, “secret weapon” adaptations and features, and common attack moves. Graphs and charts bring the animals to life with important information like their size, habitat, range, and speed. Fun facts about these formidable opponents are sprinkled throughout, and the books include a notable amount of animal facts on top of the high-action concept. The end of each book features a short fight scene imagining the brawl, though this could be expanded upon for maximum impact. The page layouts, which include bold, colorful graphics and full-page photographs of the animals, emphasize the exciting subject matter. This will entice both upper-elementary audiences and striving readers at the middle school level. VERDICT Written at a third grade reading level, this series winningly combines a fun, high-octane concept with readable text and in-depth information.