Mites

Gr 3–5—These well-crafted introductions take a close look at arachnids with extraordinary attributes. In each title, a succinct text describes general characteristics; major physical and behavioral characteristics shared by all of the featured invertebrates; distinctive traits of particular species; habitats; life cycles; feeding habits and diets, etc. Each book concludes with a story outlining the lives of representative males and females, from birth to reproduction as adults. Sharp, close-up color photos (extreme close-ups in Mites) depict each stage of their life cycles. In some sections, a photo appears on every page; in others, a full-page close-up alternates with each page of text. About a dozen species are depicted in Tarantulas and Mites, four in Wind Scorpions. Highlighting each title are detailed, double-page, anatomical diagrams of both external and internal key body parts. Hexagon-shaped sidebars, scattered throughout, offer additional facts. Addenda include information on related arachnids and a simple activity demonstrating a behavior discussed in the text (feeding, molting, etc.). Mites and Tarantulas offer more detail on anatomy than other introductions, such as Carrie Gleason's Feasting Bedbugs, Mites, and Ticks (Crabtree, 2011) and Alice B. McGinty's The Tarantula (Rosen, 2002); they also describe mating (and depict it in Tarantulas), which these earlier titles do not. As there is little information available on wind scorpions, Markle's books will also help fill a gap. Valuable resources for both students and arachnophiles alike.—Karey Wehner, formerly at the San Francisco Public Library