River Life

Children's Literature

The Amazon River contains an estimated 3,000 species of freshwater fish. This total represents a population twelve times as large as that of the Mississippi River. Among those watery denizens are catfish that weigh over 200 pounds, sharp-toothed piranhas and electric eels. Along the shores of the Amazon live thousands of other life forms, including a multitude of trees, elegant tropical plants, large and small mammals, and countless insects. River life in and along the Amazon River represents one of the riches treasuries of living beings on the face of the earth. This bounteous reservoir of life is also a habitat for human beings¾the men, women and children who live along the Amazon. The various webs of life that encompass the Amazon River Basin are the subject matter of this volume in James L. Castner's six volume "Deep in the Amazon" series. Castner offers readers a glimpse at river life starting with the Amazonian flood plains and extending into the depths of the river way. As in earlier volumes in this illustrated nature series, the author does a proficient job of describing the complicated and interconnected Amazon Basin ecosystem. This is a well crafted book and one that will inform and entertain readers young and old. 2002, Benchmark Books, $24.21. Ages 10 to 14. Reviewer: Greg M. Romaneck AGES: 10 11 12 13 14