Pond Life: Revised and Updated (A Golden Guide from St. Martin's Press) (Paperback)

by George K. Reid (Author), Sally D. Kaicher (Illustrator), Tom Dolan (Illustrator) "In spring and summer, activity is ceaseless in a pond or small lake..." (more)
Key Phrases: small aquatic animals, Mississippi Valley, Great Lakes, New Jersey

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
This guide describes and illustrates, in full color, the plants and animals that live in or near ponds, lakes, streams, and wetlands. It includes surface-dwelling creatures as well as those of open water, the bottom, and the shore and tells how various animals and plants live together in a community.
Plus suggestions for:
Where and when to look
Observing and collecting specimens
Making exciting discoveries


About the Author
Golden Guides first appeared in 1949 and quickly established themselves as authorities on subjects from Natural History to Science. Relaunched in 2000, Golden Guides from St. Martin's Press feature modern, new covers as part of a multi-year, million-dollar program to revise, update, and expand the complete line of guides for a new generation of students.

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Golden Guides from St. Martin's Press; Rev Upd edition (April 14, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582381305
• ISBN-13: 978-1582381305
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 4.1 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #80,756 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #7 in	Books > Outdoors & Nature > Ecology > Lakes & Ponds
  #86 in	Books > Children's Books > Science, Nature & How It Works > Biology

• This is item 20 in The Golden Guide Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pond Life, August 22, 2002

By	J. Lindner (Gem Lake, MN United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Pond Life is like a general biology introduction to life found in ponds. All types of life are covered, albeit in very brief introductions. Plants and animals (microscopic to mammals to birds) each receive tertiary coverage. The book does not get into specifics on how wetlands function relation to other ecosystems, and such coverage would have been useful, but the overall emphasis is still relevant.

The book is likely not intended to be read from cover to cover, as it is a field guide. Field guides are really meant to be brought along in a pocket for easy reference when making field identifications. In this respect, I am a big fan of other field guides in the series.

This volume and its companions should be readily available at nature centers, but the price is low enough for people to purchase it for their own libraries. What it lacks in detail it makes up for in compactness and readability.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Possibly the Best All-Around Introductory Guide to Pond Life, September 22, 2001

By	C. Lee (Ontario, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Golden Guides are often described as books for children just discovering the natural world. While the series is eminently usable by young naturalists, Golden Guides are solid introductory field guides. One of the strengths of "Pond Life" is its comprehensive scope covering everything from protozoa to plants to mammals. Indeed, it provides more good basic information on identifying types of water plants than any other source I know complete with measurements and color illustrations. The same applies to its coverage of invertebrates as well, though the minor objection of the previous reviewer concerning its scanty treatment of protozoa is a valid one. I would add to the strength of "Pond Life" its portability, which packs a plethora of information into a small package. Another weakness (of the Golden Guides in general) is its datedness to the 1950's and 60's. This does not affect its basic science in most cases, though it is strange (albeit nostalgic for some) to see the equipment suggested for pond watching.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing content for a pocket sized book!, September 18, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Pond Life (Golden Guide) (Paperback)

This little book is a bargain if you want to identify aquatic plants, animals, etc. commonly found in US lakes & ponds. All color plates and well put together.