Britannica Educational Publishing 
Closer Look at Living Things [PDF ebook] 

Life comes in all shapes and forms, and living entities dwell in all types of habitats. There are seven characteristics that all life forms share-the ability to move, to sense, to respire, to consume nutrition, to grow, to reproduce, and to excrete waste matter. Complete with annotated illustrations that clarify complex structures and life processes, this volume surveys the parts, characteristics, and classifications of various living things and explores the evolution of life in general.