As she did in Compost Critters (1993, our favorite among her fine photographic nature books), Lavies begins with particular species, describes how they fit into their ecosystem, and implicitly suggests that such intricate relationships are fundamental to all life. The red mangroves' propagation and habits of growth are intriguing. Among other things, seedlings stay attached to the parent tree until old enough to be salt resistant, then may root nearby or survive for as much as a year while floating great distances. The Florida grove depicted here supports a wealth of species, from microscopic forms that feed on its fallen leaves and the crustaceans and fish that carry the resulting nutrients up the food chain to alligators, raccoons, and many different birds. A final note gives a fascinating glimpse of Lavies's strategies for taking her splendid color photos, which include underwater shots, an aerial view, and an informative series on the mangrove's life cycle as well as more conventional wildlife pictures. A fascinating and beautiful book. (Nonfiction. 9+)
Pub Date: March 1, 1994
ISBN: 0-525-45186-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 1994
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A splendid volume for young adventurers.
Based on her work with middle-school students, Long offers lessons on how to stay healthy and out of trouble while awaiting rescue, the same lessons taught to adults in her survival classes.
Her matter-of-fact, no-nonsense tone will play well with young readers, and the clear writing style is appropriate to the content. The engaging guide covers everything from building shelters to avoiding pigs and javelinas. With subjects like kissing bugs, scorpions, snow blindness and “How going to the bathroom can attract bears and mountain lions,” the volume invites browsing as much as studying. The information offered is sometimes obvious: “If you find yourself facing an alligator, get away from it”; sometime humorous: Raccoons will “fight with your dog, steal all your food, then climb up a tree and call you bad names in raccoon language”; and sometimes not comforting: “When alligators attack on land, they usually make one grab at you; if they miss, you are usually safe.” But when survival is at stake, the more information the better, especially when leavened with some wit. An excellent bibliography will lead young readers to a host of fascinating websites, and 150 clipart-style line drawings complement the text.
A splendid volume for young adventurers. (index not seen) (Nonfiction. 9-14)Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-56976-708-5
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2011
Definitely buzzworthy.
A 12-year-old fugitive starts middle school with a literally electrifying secret to keep.
After eight years of home schooling and sudden flights with his fanatically cautious mother, frustrated Trex jumps at the chance to be a “normal” kid for once—a tall order, as his whole body functions as a capacitor to power the experimental bioware in his brain, and touching anyone else or any metal item creates a dangerous electric spark. Worse yet, unbeknownst to Trex and (initially) his mom, the evil technocrat who financed the experiment has caught up with them at long last and, eager to get him back onto the operating table for further slicing and dicing, has hacked into his mental settings. Morrell really stacks the deck against her protagonist, but along with casting him with a winning mixture of decency and smarts, she deals him Mellie, a sharp young recluse who fancies herself a detective and, despite struggling with a profound anxiety disorder, proves a redoubtable ally through cascading crises that escalate from pranks into kidnappings, brutal attempted murders, last-tick rescues, and shocks both literal and in the form of revelations about Trex’s history, family, and even identity. Trex and the rest of the central cast are White; two siblings in the supporting cast are Black. The author offers reassurance to readers who identify with Mellie in an afterword.
Definitely buzzworthy. (Science fiction. 9-13)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-43324-9
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2022
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