America Underground

School Library Journal

Gr 5-9-- This book covers many things, both living and nonliving, that exist or occur under the ground in America. Starting with soil organisms and earthworms, McFall goes on to discuss everything from earthquakes and volcanoes, to subway tunnels and nuclear waste. While much of the information is interesting, the author tries to cover too much. Subjects that could have whole books devoted to them are summed up in a few paragraphs. Black-and-white photos or diagrams appear on almost every page, but many lack contrast and the captions aren't very informative. David Macaulay takes a more successful approach in Underground (Houghton, 1983), concentrating solely on the underground support system that keeps a city running. --George Delalis, Oakland Public Library, CA