SLIPPERY BABIES

A visually appealing, informative companion to Scaly Babies: Reptiles Growing Up (1988) describes the life cycles of five amphibians, including salamanders, frogs, and toads. Johnston stresses the environmental importance of the more than 4,000 amphibian species and their role in nature's balance. Known for their thin, moist skin, most live on land but return to the water to lay their jellylike eggs. Color photos of the vivid red poison dart frog and strands of toad eggs, like long stands of black pearls, are especially intriguing. Scientific names, size, and range not included. Glossary; index. (Nonfiction. 10-12)