Piranhas

Gr 5–8—Concise texts describe distinctive characteristics of these creatures. Piranhas also discusses the ways popular culture views the fish (they're not as dangerous as portrayed) and serious ecological issues, such as dwindling numbers in the wild, problems caused by their importation and release into U.S. waters, etc. Sea Lions describes the animals' role as performers as well as their use by the military in locating mines, retrieving objects, etc., and threats to their survival. Each title concludes with a retelling of an ancient myth about the animal. Full-page, sharply focused, color photographs of the animals in natural settings illustrate the texts on about every other page; many are close-ups. Small captioned pictures in the margins of most pages offer additional facts. Both books are remarkable for their clear information and exceptional photography. Valuable additions to natural-history sections.—Karey Wehner, formerly at San Francisco Public Library