BIRDS

In the new ``Our Living World'' series, one of four books on different classes of vertebrates, each organized into five chapters: an ``Overview'' of the various species' shared and differing characteristics; discussions of ``The Senses'' and their specialized functions; ``Metabolism'' and its relationship to anatomy; ``Reproduction and Growth''; and ``Fitting into the Web of Life,'' including natural dangers and defenses as well as environmental threats. Ricciuti's text is lucid, consistently interesting and informative, and admirably detailed; the frequent illustrations—color photos, precise color art, diagrams—are generally of fine quality and well captioned, though names of species are occasionally omitted and the anatomical drawings aren't quite complete (neither crop nor stomach is shown, though each is mentioned in the text). Still, an excellent resource. Bird- and animal-kingdom classification charts; glossary; ``further reading''; index. (Nonfiction. 8-12)