Cottonmouths

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-An amazing array of adaptations is displayed by these groups of North American snakes. Cottonmouths, for instance, warn off predators by exposing the white interior of their mouths; diamondbacks create that famous, alarming buzz by rapidly vibrating the rattles on their tails; and harmless milk snakes mimic the skin patterns and coloring of the deadly coral snake. These profiles also briefly cover major physical and behavioral characteristics, some distinctive characteristics of particular species, and descriptions of habitats. The striking format features one or two succinct paragraphs of large-print text set within a green-tinted rectangle. This, in turn, is overlaid on the background of a double-page, clear, color photo showing a representative species in its natural surroundings. Captions identify species shown by common name and extend the texts with additional information. All three titles are clearly written and well organized, and offer more specific information on these snake groups than general introductions, such as Seymour Simon's Snakes (HarperCollins, 1992). Of the three groups, more material is usually available on diamondbacks; they are also included in books on rattlesnakes. Feldman's book, however, has more information on the reptiles' distinctive characteristics and habitats. Useful additions, especially in regions of the U.S. where the snakes are found.-Karey Wehner, formerly at San Francisco Public Library Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.