It’s that time of year again for critters of all sizes and shapes to appear outside – for better or worse. In my case I’m not anticipating, on my daily hikes, the springtime sightings of snakes as they wake from their slumber. Here are some outstanding new non-fiction books for all ages on these subjects.
Insects, by Barbara Taylor, is part of an excellent series called “Discover Science. This book is a bit more involved with many more chapters concerning the subject. But each chapter is similar to the previous book in that the chapters are just the two open-page spreads. This book features actual brightly colored photographs of each insect. There are also fun projects to make, as well as a glossary found in the back of the book.
Insects: Biggest! Smallest!, by Sandra Markle, is a picture book with extraordinary information about the size of the insect and how it affects its competitors for the prey it consumes. The photos, by Dr. Simon Pollard, are gripping, the lay-out is kid-friendly, and the information is rich with interest. Be sure to check out the large world map detailing where the insects discussed live, as well as a glossary found at the back of the book.
Spiders: Biggest! Smallest!, by Sandra Markle, has a similar format as her “Insect” book and utilizes amazing camera shots to depict webs, fangs, eggs and the many eyes on these arachnids. Once again, Dr. Pollard provides close-up images to showcase particular characteristics unique to spiders.
Silk & Venom: Searching for a Dangerous Spider, by the acclaimed Kathryn Lasky, and photographed by Christopher G. Knight, goes into depth of studying the spider world with zoologist Greta Binford. She has been studying the origins of the brown recluse spider by traveling to the Dominican Republic where she feels the spider began on this side of the world. Lasky writes about the researcher’s discoveries and investigations with the expertness of drawing the reader into this extraordinary spider world. The photos are full blown, beginning with the beginning and ending pages. But beware – as this book just might ignite a new scientist in the family.
Discover Science: Reptiles, by Belinda Weber, is another in this outstanding series that teaches all the many interesting aspects of reptiles beginning with the definition and then discussing the many different types of creatures. Like all books in this series, there are several projects and a glossary found at the back. The pictures are all wonderful close-up photos.
3-D Thrillers! Snakes and Other Extraordinary Reptiles, by Samantha Hilton, has a pair of paper made 3-D glasses on the inside cover that helps make the snakes and lizards pop-out. The information is relatively short and the size of the book is smallish making this a quick read.
Snake-A-Phobia, by Grace Norwich, is filled with colorful pages and close-up photos of some pretty interesting looking snakes. The lay-out makes learning about these snakes interesting as there is larger font, yellow highlighted words marking possible unknown words and the text held in smaller columns. The glossary found at the back of the book is even color-coded for meaningful understanding.
The Frog Scientist, by Pamela S. Turner, and photographs by Andy Comins, showcases the study of these amphibians and attempts to explore why so many of them are dying. What the reader will discover is the process of a scientist as Dr. Tyrone Hayes must get up before dawn in order to be at the pond when the frogs awake. This study will surely be an eye-opener to many who are curious about possibly becoming scientists.