Jim Brandenburg is a nature photographer, and in this book he tells about some of his adventures with photographing wildlife on the American prairie. Brandenburg narrates his experiences, and brings the reader through the tale of how he became a professional photographer. Some of the stories are more about the ecosystem itself, and others are about learning exactly how close to get to the rattlesnake before it bites! This nonfiction story would make for both a great read-aloud book and independent reading book in the reading center (especially is able to find the vintage magazines in which his work was featured!). ( )

An American Safari is a photographic essay written by Jim Brandenburg. Brandenburg is a wildlife photographer and has worked with National Geographic in the past. He grew up near the North American prairie and this book serves to educate the reader on this topic. The photographs are beautiful and compliment the text well. The text discusses the praire and how important it is and how we are losing it everyday. He also discusses many of the wildlife that inhabit the prairie, for example, bison, rattlesnakes, and prairie dogs. There is a small table of contents, an index, and an appendix that gives information on how to get involved in saving the prairie. ( )

Excellent pictures and explanations provide a lot of detail on different aspects and creatures of the North American Prairie