Discovery

LIFE IN THE OCEANS, by Dulcie Patullo; The Jacaranda Press, 1992; 24 pps; $12.45
WHAT'S UP THERE?, by Rob Morrison; The Jacaranda Press, 1990; 28 pps; $12.45:

Both these books are aimed at lower to middle primary school. Life in the Oceans describes some of the organisms that live in the sea. It is well illustrated and the text is large and clear. The text is aimed at slightly lower level readers than Whats' Up There?. It is encouraging to find a book for this age group which introduces some of the smaller invertebrates and doesn't simply concentrate on the larger sharks and whales. Towards the back are the instructions for students to make their own seascape.

What's Up There? provides information about a number of subjects relating to the earth and space. There are some very good analogies in the book such as relating the pattern or shape of galaxies to a pile of hundreds and thousands on a piece of bread. Our solar system is introduced, as are earthly phenomena such as the causes of the seasons and tides. I prefered the illustrations in this book, but it does have a somewhat more traditional layout. Both books contain a useful glossary at the back and What's Up There? also has some questions that teachers may find useful in helping teach students research techniques. Both strike me as good basic readers, covering science material in a sensible, readable manner; something that has sometimes been missing in the past.

Greg Walker, NZSM