Life in the Soil

Children's Literature

Possibly the most unique volume in the "In Touch with Nature" series of children's reference books from Blackbirch Press is this one devoted to soil. Youngsters are likely to eye a handful of dirt with new interest and respect after reading this book. Beginning with a comprehensive explanation of what the basic components of soil actually are, the volume proceeds to differentiate soil types, and examine what lives within the soil. Along the way, various activities are described and illustrated in step-by-step photographic sequences. Hands-on activities are featured in all the books in this series, with varying degrees of success. Those in this volume seemed particularly ill-suited to classroom use, especially those requiring students to create compost and a wormery in empty aquariums over a period of many weeks. Another of the activities, one that tested soil acidity, was poorly described; no explanation was offered for why color changes in red cabbage juice might be an indicator of acidity. A page devoted to the identification of creatures that live in soil and a glossary end this volume. Expensive for its 32-page format, this book could be, nonetheless, a valuable addition to grade school study of environmental science. 2004, The Brown Reference Group/Blackbirch Press, Ages 7 to 10.
—Michele Tremaine