Reptiles & Amphibians: A Close-Up Photographic Look Inside Your World

Gr 2–4—A cool hologram cover will immediately grab readers' attention. However, not much else will. Both the size and precision of the pictures are striking. But for students, who are often tasked with the job of determining an author's purpose, this work is confusing. It has an index but overall lacks an organizational scheme, with animals randomly presented. Facts are provided—some are deliciously gory or alarming—but the information is more entertaining than useful for research. While each section does reliably include the categories of scientific name, size, habitat, and diet, the material is easily accessible in numerous other print and online resources. With opening and closing pages dedicated to the art and history of photography as well as the components and use of a camera, one wonders if the scope of this title is too ambitious and if the book has consequently lost focus.