From School Library Journal
Grade 4-7-These articles originally published in a monthly column in Highlights for Children spotlight significant scientific finds and tell the story of how they came about. They cover a wide range of topics from "magnetic bacteria" to eye tests for falcons and the possible cause of mammoth extinction. As these explorations date between the mid-1970s and the late 1990s, Myers has updated and revised the information when necessary. Colorful illustrations, some cartoons and others realistic, and diagrams accompany the conversational text. The format is attractive, and the cover is eye-catching. While a source bibliography is included, this compilation is not for serious researchers, but is fast food for scientific browsers.
Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
This useful collection of articles from Highlights for Children magazine answers interesting scientific questions about animal behavior. Some articles, such as "How Cats Purr," answer questions many children might ask; others, such as an article about the Weddell seal and its diving capabilities, are less usual. The articles about dinosaurs and woolly mammoths are sure to be crowd pleasers. A piece about butterflies, which mentions scientists pulling wings off of specimens, may spark discussion about scientific ethics. A rather flat narrative tone makes it unlikely that the collection will be read from cover to cover, but the book's illustrations and a bibliography should make it useful resource material. Marta Segal
