Life in a Garden

School Library Journal

Gr 5-7-Brief, general information is offered about nematodes, fungi, beetles, slugs, snails, and aphids. Although there are no photographs of aphids, garden and orb spiders and those famous occupants of the garden, the praying mantis and ladybug, do appear. Metamorphosis and camouflage are mentioned. The vast numbers of species (80,000 kinds of snails and 30,000 nematodes) are acknowledged. The type size is small; important words are printed in color. The sharp, glossy, full-color photos are not always keyed to the text, and labeling of the photos is erratic at best. Two projects are included-caring for a pet mantis and planting a garden. Donald M. Silver's One Small Square: Backyard (Scientific American, 1993; o.p.) is more informative, better labeled, and more scientific.-Kathryn Kosiorek, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Brooklyn, OH Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.