Reviews

Gr 3-5-- These brief, topical overviews are divided into two-page subtopics, accompanied by colorful photos and paintings and clearly labelled diagrams. Scattered throughout are several ``Did You Know'' boxes that give important or unusual facts relating to the information covered on that page. Each book contains a simple experiment; both end with an illustrated five-page story (the one in Waterfalls recalls the first sighting of Victoria Falls by Dr. David Livingstone) and a ``True or False'' test. Coral Reefs , the better of the two, covers the topic in an orderly sequence, focusing on a description of the reef, its formation, and some of the animals that live there. Ecological concerns are raised in several sections. Although Waterfalls features several excellent diagrams--a waterfall, Niagara Falls, the water cycle, life cycle of Pacific salmon--it lacks the overall coverage of the other volume. It seems to be the only book for young readers on this subject; Sylvia Johnson's Coral Reefs (Lerner, 1984) would prove more useful for reports on that topic. --Susan Scheps, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH