Creatures That Glow

School Library Journal

Gr 3-5-- Luminous photographs and page headings are this book's outstanding features. It actually glows in the dark--an effective property in an introduction to bioluminescence. Barkan briefly explains the chemical process behind the ``cold light,'' and then describes some characteristics of 16 organisms, the majority of which are found in the sea. A clear, full-color photograph of the creature accompanies each discussion; appropriate portions shine eerily in the dark. The text is concisely written and logically organized, but information is minimal and some useful data is omitted. For instance, the only facts on two insects depicted in early photos appear in captions; they are not part of the main text. Also, there is no mention that the New Zealand glowworms shown are of a different species than the more common firefly larvae (also called glowworms) dealt with later in the book. The Silversteins' Nature's Living Lights: Fireflies and Other Bioluminescent Creatures (Little, 1988) will be more useful to those writing reports, as it covers some of the same animals and plants in more depth and includes recent scientific research on bioluminescence. Its pen-and-ink drawings, however, are less effective than the beautiful, glowing photographs included in the Barkan title, which will serve best as a browsing book and bedtime read-aloud. --Karey Wehner, San Francisco Public Library