Soil Basics

Children's Literature - Marilyn Courtot

Unless you are a farmer or gardener, you probably do not give much thought to soil. As Lindeen describes in her short book: "Soil is the top layer of the earth." It is composed of rocks, rotting plants, and animals. The soil is home to plants and animals such as earthworms that provide a very useful function aerating the soil. There is a glossary, three more books to read, and FactHound to help locate appropriate and safe Internet sites. The book, part of the "Nature Basics" series, also has an index and a table of contents. My one quibble would be the use of the word earth in the definition of soil—land is probably more appropriate since a greater part of the earth's surface is covered by water not soil. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot