Those Amazing Ants

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-Simple, chatty language attempts to help children relate the ant's world to their own the insect's underground habitat is described as a tidy home much like an apartment building. The first page states that all ants walking around are females-``So whenever you see an ant, you can call it she!'' The use of imprecise vocabulary sometimes results in rather confusing information; near the end of the book, Demuth mentions that male ants do exist and explains that they are the ones with wings, but then continues to describe how the queen, once she has mated, rips off her wings. Larvae are called worms; descriptions of specific behaviors of some types of ants are mentioned, but no species names are given. Roles of various colony members-from worker to queen-are mentioned, as are brief details about their cooperative way of working. Schindler's illustrations are large, appealing, and give an interesting peek inside an anthill. Attractive, muted background tones reflect the earth and surrounding environment. The format is appealing and the large type is appropriate for young readers. This book may spark curiosity in the subject, but needs support from other sources such as Arthur Dorros's Ant Cities Crowell, 1987, which presents similar material using a more appropriate scientific vocabulary.-Diane Nunn, Richard E. Byrd Elementary School, Glen Rock, NJ