There are nine titles in the Fact Files series. Each book is 19 pages long with many colourful photos and drawings and two pages of questions which include comprehension and inferential questions, true or false, sequencing, joining or completing sentences, and research or writing work. The levels are 1 (400 headwords), 2 (700 headwords) and 3 (1000 headwords). (Headwords are the core vocabulary words used in that book.)

Aside from Rainforests, Level 2 includes at least two other books of interest. Under the Ground includes sections on caves, mining, subways, tunnels, and underground cities. Did you know Tokyo has four kilometres of underground streets with shops and restaurants? The section on caves is the most extensive, including information on plants and animals that live in caves and how caves are formed.

Another book in Level 2 is Seasons and Celebrations. This book covers Christian and pagan festivals in Britain, USA, and Canada. At a quick read it seems limited until one remembers the source of the festivals it proposes to discuss. An interesting activity would be to compare other festivals celebrated by Canadians from other traditions such as Ramadan, Hanukkah, and the winter dance season of many First Nations. These traditions do not come from the same roots which may lead to interesting comparisons.

A book of interest from Level 1 is Animals in Danger. This is a popular topic with my students and this book has interesting material on the topic. There are descriptions of birds, mammals, fish, etc. that are in danger–some familiar like the rhino and whales, some less familiar such as the tapir and the kakapo. These chapters are only half the book. The other chapters contain descriptions of what the dangers are to animals, what countries can do, what some individuals are doing, and the role of zoos. There is lots of interesting material to learn and debate in this small volume.