Synopsis
Introduces the many kinds of beetles that live in rain forests, explores their habitats, and explains why they are endangered and what we can do to protect them.
Susan Hepler - Children's Literature
This entry in the "Animals of the Rainforest" series includes information about how beetles survive in the rainforests of Central and South America, their future in the rainforest, a map where the Hercules Beetle (largest beetle in the world) is located, charts, and sidebars of interesting facts. This selection is more generally about beetles worldwide so readers may have to sort out information specific to the rainforest. A short chapter is devoted to what beetles eat and their function in rainforest ecology. Predators include birds, fish, and other beetles. In addition to the animal's life cycle, the book also discusses unique features of beetles and researchers are helped by a labeled picture with page references to beetles' unique features. Further support is provided with a glossary, well-selected and vibrantly colored photographs but with modest mostly descriptive rather than informative captions, an index, a few internet sites and other children's reference books, and a useful address to which to write. 2002, Steck-Vaughn,