ANIMAL EYES

Bulging, blinking, shedding, winking, glowing and seeing in the dark—animal eyes vary in intriguing ways. This browser’s book introduces the eyes of humans and 12 animal species from cats to flies, describing their appearance and what they can and can't do. The information is presented in a few short paragraphs on colorful double-page spreads, each devoted to a different animal group. Text boxes provide cool facts: A gecko cleans its eyes with its tongue; a dog can be trained to wink. To engage young readers further, there are occasional "Test it out" experiments and a guessing game at the end. The striking color photographs are not attributed; a number are not specifically identified; and the degree of magnification is not given. In one case, the image of a red-eyed tree frog (unidentified) is superimposed on a magnified frog’s eye, an interesting but confusing picture. The author acknowledges biologists and institutions but provides no specific sources or suggestions for further reading. This series also includes Animal Tongues, by Dawn Cusick (2009). (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 5-10)