Avati: Discovering Arctic Ecology by Mia Pelletier, illustrated by Sara Otterstatter Ages 7-10 46 pages Inhabit Media April 2013 Hardcover     Arctic field biologist Mia Pelletier has authored a wonderful book about the Arctic habitat (“Avati” means environment in Inuktitut, the language of the Inuit people). In simple and elegant prose, Pelletier describes the Arctic as a rich and complex ecosystem comprised of unique animals and plants found nowhere else on the planet. Beautiful and naturalistic watercolor illustrations by Sara Otterstatter cover most of each double-page spread. They vividly make the point that the Arctic is far from the barren, frozen wasteland it is often imagined to be. I was surprised to find that such a through exploration of the Arctic habitat should make no mention of the current and anticipated effects of oil drilling, air pollution, and global climate change on this fragile ecosystem. In spite of this omission, this picture book is a lovely and thought-provoking guide to the Arctic for children and adults alike, and a valuable reference for elementary and middle school children interested in learning about the Arctic. The glossary of terms is an excellent addition to the text.     web reviews   Usha Rao/2014 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)