Brazil, A True Book  •  Ann Heinrichs CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  1997 •  PAPER  • 48 PAGES • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8) An overview of Brazil -- landscapes, citizens and history -- for children 6 to 8. With its large color photographs, large-scale maps and focus on kid-friendly topics, this book is an engaging primer. (BZL32, $6.95)
The Great Kapok Tree, A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest  •  Lynne Cherry NATURAL HISTORY •  2000 •  PAPER  • 36 PAGES • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8) With lush full-page watercolors and a simple message about conserving natural resources, this best-selling book is a favorite for young readers ages four to eight. It's a fable in which forest animals convince a man not to chop down the magnificent tree that provides them with food and shelter. (AMZ53, $7.00)
Journey to the River Sea  •  Eva Ibbotson LITERATURE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 336 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) In this excellent and right-minded novel, a spunky English schoolgirl finds adventure aplenty in the Brazilian Amazon -- no thanks to her boring, unimaginative cousins, who douse themselves in insect repellant and refuse to budge from indoors. Eva Ibbotson is well-known as an author of children's fantasy books, and a boundless energy also infuses this more realistic (set in 1910) novel. Ages 9-12. It's got great characters, a fantastic setup and plenty of drama, not to mention some fully realized descriptions of actual flora and fauna. (AMZ79, $6.99)
One Day in the Tropical Rain Forest  •  Jean Craighead George NATURAL HISTORY •  1995 •  PAPER  • 66 PAGES • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8) The Newbery Medal-winning author of "Julie of the Wolves" goes south for this brief and gripping nonfiction portrait of the Amazon. It's a race against time, as Dr. Rivero and his young native guide save the rain forest from a lumber company. In the course of their search for a prize butterfly, they encounter sloths, army ants and birds -- all vividly described. A slim chapter book geared for children about age eight. (FST08, $4.99)
Rain Forest Revealed  •  DK Publishing EXPLORATION •  2004 •  HARD COVER  • 48 PAGES • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8) A colorful illustrated children's guide to the plant and animal life of tropical rainforests, featuring transparent pages that allow young readers to explore the subject from many angles. (NAT66, $12.99)
The Shaman's Apprentice  •  Lynne Cherry  •  Mark Plotkin LITERATURE •  1998 •  HARD COVER  • 40 PAGES • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8) A tale of the Amazon rain forest for young readers, this book by the outstanding team of illustrator Cherry and ethnobotanist Plotkin tells of a young boy's fascination with the magical world of the shaman and the foreign scientist who helps him find a cure for a mysterious illness that besets the tribe. With lush full-page watercolor paintings by Cherry and well meaning text. (AMZ24, $16.00)