Pond Water Zoo: An Introduction to Microscopic Life [Hardcover]

Peter Loewer (Author), Jean Jenkins (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 1, 1996

A whole new world appears when you view a drop of water through a small hand lens. The authors, in text and detailed illustrations, take the reader to that world, where diatoms live in beatifully etched glasslike shells. From one celled protozoa to other tiny animals that have developed bodies with hundreds of specialized cells, this is the perfect book for the budding scientist.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5-8. This utilitarian book catalogs the varieties of microscopic life in ponds and streams and offers instructions on collecting and studying samples. An introduction to the five kingdoms and microscopic life in general is followed by descriptions of Monera, Protista, and a variety of microscopic animals. Similar species are grouped together, but the text is weak on pointing out similarities and making comparisons that would help readers keep the data sorted out. There are also sensationalized statements that need more clarification. For example, the author claims that, "90 percent of the average human being is made up of bacteria;" it is not clear what this figure is based on. The explanation of the sizes of these species is muddy, too. Although Loewer explains how long a micron is in comparison to an inch, some organisms are described in terms of microns and others in terms of millimeters but how many microns are in a millimeter is never made clear. The book's strength is its instructions for collecting and studying these creatures; it explains getting samples, using microscopes, and what to look for. Some of the tasks will need adult supervision, but the information could be useful to students who need ideas for biology-based science projects. Excellent drawings complement the text, providing close-up views of the life forms described. The end result is mixed, with the book's appeal limited by its somewhat dull and sometimes vague text.?Jeffrey A. French, Cleveland Heights-University Heights Public Library
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 5^-8. In a factual, scientific presentation, this book examines a drop of pond water to reveal the teeming unseen life present there, and shows how, with a microscope or hand-held lens, youngsters can explore the wonders of freshwater biology. A short introduction places these studies in the framework of the five kingdoms of living things, and simple drawings help readers comprehend the relative sizes of the microorganisms. Almost every page contains several precise drawings interpreting what the microscope reveals. The emphasis is on the role microscopic organisms play in nature. Enhanced by a glossary and bibliography, the very detailed book will serve the young researcher well. Susan DeRonne

Product Details

• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Atheneum (October 1, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689317360
• ISBN-13: 978-0689317361
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,101,852 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful child's introduction to microscopic life., December 4, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Pond Water Zoo: An Introduction to Microscopic Life (Hardcover)

This is an unusally readable and yet accurate discription of common micororganisms found in pond water. The organization is by phylogenetic group, the text is not watered down excessively for children, and the ilustrations are accurate without being too complicated for the preadolescent budding scientist.

My 7 year old brought the book home from the library, and would not return it. We finally purchased a copy. There are now two jars of pond water on his window sill and a nightly ritual of examining a drop form each, and recording his observations in a sketch book. His sustained enthusiasm is the best tribute I can pay to this book. I hope the authors and illustrators will tackle another area, such as moss, dirt, etc.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Review of Pond Water Zoo, March 20, 2000

By 

S. E. Robinson "avid reader" (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pond Water Zoo: An Introduction to Microscopic Life (Hardcover)

This book affords a youngster (or adult) a gateway to a brand-new world, with its own rules and dramas, right under our noses. In a very readable way, it makes the world discovered by van Leeuwenhoek (the inventor of the microscope) real and accessible to young children and busy adults. Using pictures on every page, it guides the reader through an overview of this amazing menagerie and compares their sizes, then tells how they were discovered, and then reviews each category of creature in turn. It describes the life cycles and the most amazing things about each group. It succeeds in communicating the thrill of seeking and discovering as it explains how to collect or culture these creatures, which are more varied and exotic than dinosaurs, but are alive right now and present everywhere.

Our daughter is 4, and is fascinated by the book (though it's meant for grades 5-8). I am unable to buy a copy now that it is out of stock, but I hope that will change soon. This is truly a marvelous book.