THE GRAY KANGAROO AT HOME

Rau begins with the birth of a tiny grublike embryo and its perilous six-inch journey up to its mother's pouch; and her report on the species centers on the lives of that particular mother, her female joey at the ""young-at-foot"" stage, and the embryo (really two successive embryos) she carries in her pouch. However, unlike the usual semi-fictionalized animal life, this isn't limited to their experiences; nor does Rau call the young one Little Kangaroo or try to make a drama of its encounters. Incidents such as the doe's struggles with an eagle who threatens her joey and her flight with the other animals from a great fire are supplemented with more general information on marsupial evolution, the species' mating habits and development patterns, and its various forest neighbors. This more flexible approach makes her well-grounded report more informative than many and more readable as well.