INSIDE THE WHALE

The inner anatomy of 21 animals, including the chicken, gorilla, crocodile, snake, fly, and snail. A double-spread, full- color, labeled drawing is given for each, with cutaway sections to focus attention on special features. Smaller side drawings- -often humorous—expand on topics: how an egg progresses from unripe ova to complete egg; how the tortoise's lung expands and compresses as the tortoise pulls in and out of its shell; how the bat's tendons and bones are constructed to help it perch upside down. Minor problems limiting use for assignments: internal parts are inconsistently labeled and sometimes omitted (the camel has mammary glands but no uterus; the elephant and gorilla have uteruses but no mammary glands; the frog has no reproductive organs). Still, a visually satisfying book with many intriguing facts. (Nonfiction. 7+)