Under The Microscope

BIG OCEAN CREATURES and BIG BUGS by Mary Gribbin; Ladybird/Penguin 1995; 24 pp plus fold-out frieze; $7.95 each

I thought I'd better review these as the books are constantly being pulled off the NZSM review shelf by my pre-schoolers with commands to "read please!". It's an indication of how appealing they are to young readers (and would-be readers). The artwork is well executed and there's plenty of information in the simple, but not simplistic, text. Of particular appeal are the scale devices used to show just how big these creatures are (A snail bigger than my hand??!! WOW!), and the fold-out frieze which puts them all in context. An excellent buy.

Vicki Hyde, NZSM