A BOLD CARNIVORE

A sumptuous ABC of predators and their prey, splendid for display or for careful, close viewing. For each alphabetical entry in her first book, Powell provides a full-color drawing of the predator in a natural habitat and a border depicting the prey. A line of text introduces both, e.g., ``A slippery red-spotted newt searches a quiet stream bottom for leeches or frog eggs.'' Some choices are expected—lynx and fisher- -others less so. The damselfly and the murex (or ``mureX'' as the weak ``X'' entry) snail are predators, too, engaged in the endless struggle to survive. A glossary gives more facts about predators as well as lists of prey shown in the illustrations. From alligator to zapus, this is an alphabet not to be missed. (Picture book/nonfiction. 5-12)