This entry in the Nature Company Discoveries Library lumps spiders together with their arthropod cousins in this comprehensive look at insects, derivative of the Eyewitness series and format. Insects and bugs (in the strict sense, insects with mouthparts that pierce and suck)—from the more common butterflies, bees, beetles, bedbugs, stink bugs, and pond-skaters, to the New Zealand weta, the cockchafer, and the hazelnut weevil—are showcased in full-color splendor, engaged in motion, metamorphosis, mating, and making contact. Little attention is paid to insect ancestors and evolution, but plenty of emphasis is given to present-day worldwide species and their behaviors. Insect peculiarities are highlighted in boxes headlined ``Did You Know?'' and ``Strange But True,'' sure to capture the attention of young readers. Especially dramatic is a four-page fold-out of two male hercules beetles locking horns in a fight for the female, and a full-sized photograph of a swarm of hungry locusts on the move in Africa. The magnified compound eyes of the horsefly and the martian-like heads of praying mantises stare with an alien presence that is eye-catching. The layout is teeming with features of note—young entomologists will not walk away hungry. (charts, diagrams, glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 8-13)
Pub Date: Aug. 1, 1997
ISBN: 0-7835-4881-8
Page Count: 64
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1997
BOOK REVIEW
An unambitious novella about ambitious 12-year-old Frisk: He gets a summer job managing a backroom pool hall in Wilma, Virginia; sets up his mother with the polite pro who teaches him the game; and, by stepping in for his mentor at the pivotal moment in a pool tournament (which comprises a third of the book), becomes the toast of the pool hall. This is a feel-good novel that isn't particularly compelling, but doesn't disappoint readers either. Hite (Answer My Prayer, p. 711, etc.) has an upright sense of humor; with admirable speed he sketches out characters and lays down the plot. The only larger idea in the novel appears on the last page, concerning pool: ``It is immensely popular for one simple reason: It's fun. . . . You might give it a try sometime.'' A fast read, without any bumps, that, like the average TV show, leaves almost no impression. (Fiction. 9-12)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-8050-3837-X
Page Count: 92
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1995
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A scattered, even haphazard biography of peace activist and Buddhist leader Daisaku Ikeda focuses on his friendship with his teacher, Josei Toda. Born in 1928 to a seaweed-farming family, Ikeda wanted to join the army like his four older brothers, but his father kept him at home. As a young adult after the war, he joined Soka Gakkai, a Nichiren Buddhist organization, and became a student of its leader, the unlucky-in-business Josei Toda. Working through adversities, both men expanded the organization to its current 12 million followers worldwide. Perry admits to imagining the settings of events in her short narrative bio but claims emotions, dialogue and actual occurrences all come from Ikeda’s copious writings. The ample backmatter is far more informative than the anemic, often confusing text. A four-page annotated photo album, a lengthy timeline dotted with sidebars and explanations and an excellent index make up the latter half of the book. More work integrating that information into the text would have made this a more worthwhile purchase. (Biography. 8-12)
Pub Date: March 16, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-977113-1-2
Page Count: 108
Publisher: Namelos
Review Posted Online: June 20, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2010
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