Eighteen animal adaptations are contrasted with human inventions: people have slickers, while ducks have not only oiled feathers but a down lining; chipmunks lug their groceries in their cheeks (and then sleep in the larder, sinking ``lower and lower into their edible beds''); ants have strong jaws that rival a forklift, and keep aphid ``cows''; etc. Evans presents her concept in an inviting introduction and goes beyond the obvious in a succinct but mind-expanding paragraph or two about each comparison; De Groat contributes some humor in her pictures of the humans, while depicting the animals in crisp, realistic detail. Genuine science; attractive and fun. (Nonfiction. 6-10)
