EXPLORING THE RAIN FOREST

Odîî and Klum introduce themselves in the opening pages—and full-color photograph—of this book, and then embark on an exploration of the rain forest, for which they act as tour guides. The topics are arranged into short chapters—``Up the River,'' ``Snakes in the Forest,'' ``Monkey Business,'' etc. The prose is chatty and informative: ``Before the sun sets, our guides fish in the river. We consider going for a swim,'' but notice the piranhas, about which they've heard terrible stories. Readers will smile when Odîî, after describing the fish's destructive powers, mentions how tasty the piranha is for dinner. The rain forest has an astonishing range of plant and animal life, and author and photographer ably close in and comment on fascinating poison dart frogs, monkeys, and snakes. Almost every page brings a new fact for browsers, while Klum expertly highlights details in close-up shots. His choice of topics is superb; he can frame an elusive animal in its habitat, or pull back to capture a breathtaking landscape. The book glorifies the natural riches of Malaysia, Costa Rica, Brazil, Nigeria, and Borneo, and makes a bid for their salvation. (index) (Nonfiction. 8-11)