SLITHER AND CRAWL

Snakes, lizards, turtles and crocodilians stare out from the pages of this eye-catching introduction to reptiles. Illustrated with sketches and acrylic paintings—four on foldout pages that allow life-size representation of animal heads—this is the fruit of years of exploration and photography by the veteran naturalist. Each family is introduced with a page of text describing physical characteristics and some distinctive habits. The author distinguishes between land and sea turtles, crocodiles and alligators, and includes a page on the habits of all these cold-blooded animals in winter. Personal experiences enliven the text throughout, and Arnosky ends with a description of looking—in vain—for Burmese pythons in Key Largo, Fla. An inaccurate table of metric equivalents is an unnecessary addition to the backmatter of an otherwise admirable presentation. A richness of reptiles, indeed. (author’s note, more reading) (Nonfiction. 6-10)