Gr 5–8—A hilarious and gross introduction to the science of life cycles. Each book in this series begins with an explanation of real-world life cycles and then introduces a fantasy creature as a thought experiment. Each book goes through the life cycle from reproduction, birth, aging, and death of these creatures, treating some as human victims of a disease and others as separate organisms. Key terms like habitats, predators, and instinct are used in context and then covered in a glossary at the end of each title. Real-world science knowledge is included in this creature feature, including rabies, spores, algae, and other biology facts. VERDICT Hand this series to emerging readers who can’t get enough of the paranormal world, or use them for a fun day in science class.

School Library Journal