Under The Microscope

NEW ZEALAND WILD: WHALES AND DOLPHINS by Barbara Todd; Reed Publishing, 2000; 32pp; $14.95
NEW ZEALAND WILD: THE TUATARA by Brian Parkinson; Reed Publishing, 2000; 32pp; $14.95

Reviewed by Vicki Hyde

The whale-watching trip was cancelled but at least we had the well-illustrated Whales and Dolphins book to look at. While aimed at the confident child reader, Todd's text has more than enough information to draw in the adult -- you'll finally be able to explain clearly the difference between whales and fish, and between toothed whales and baleen whales. The "cool and amazing" facts were greeted with rapt attention by my children, especially the comment that a young child can crawl easily through the arteries of a blue whale's heart. Take that, Jonah!

The Tuatara follows the same high-quality approach in photos and text, detailing the story of this unique creature. It's good to see some reason for optimism regarding the tuatara's future, with breeding programmes and island refuges providing a place where they can live without interference. The daunting description of the often-difficult life of the tuatara researcher didn't seem to put my children off, so maybe it will inspire a new generation.

Vicki Hyde is the editor of New Zealand Science Monthly.