World of Rot: Learn All About the Wriggly, Slimy, Super-cool Decomposers We Couldn’t Live Without
By Britt Crow-Miller, illustrated by Bruno Valasse, Storey Publishing
Decomposition is “the important process of recycling what’s dead back into what’s living”. I loved finding out what happens when a tree falls and how it becomes a “‘nurse log’ for new life”, and how the build-up of gases inside a decomposing whale can take an explosive turn! We learn about the organisms that undertake the important job of decomposition and discover some that live in our houses, and others in our bodies! World of Rot gives us a surprisingly fresh perspective of the natural world, and I love the vibrant illustrations.
The Animal Body Book: An Insider’s Guide to the World of Animal Anatomy
By Jess French, illustrated by Jonathan Woodward, DK
This book is a fascinating exploration of animals, inside and out. Stunning photographs with cutaway illustrations reveal how different species function. Animal case studies are used to delve into skeletons, muscles, circulation, respiration, digestion, senses and more, and the insights offered are extraordinary. I was amazed by the internal image of a kiwi’s egg before it is laid: “Each egg can be a whopping 20 per cent of its mother’s weight.” Highly visual with clearly explained text, this is a wonderful introduction to animal anatomy.
Wildlife in the Balance: The Species That Shape Earth’s Ecosystems
By Dr Sharon Wismer, illustrated by Terri Po, Flying Eye Books
Wildlife in the Balance takes readers to different ecosystems around the world across all five major biomes (aquatic, grassland, forest, desert and tundra).
It looks at how habitats are kept in balance, with a focus on the role keystone species play in shaping environments: how elephants maintain grasslands; how coral-eating parrotfish make space for reef expansion; how otters prevent urchin populations from ravishing kelp forests. We also see what can happen when ecosystems fall out of balance and the ways they can recover. Each chapter is well presented with wonderfully illustrated full-colour spreads.
____
Reviews by Alice Ellerby
Published in issue 91. Accurate at the time this issue went to print.
