Tropical Rain Forests Around the World (First Book) - Softcover

A general survey of the flora and fauna of a rain forest. After defining the tropical forest and describing how it differs from the forests of North America, Landau discusses the three types of greenery: the canopy, the understory, and the floor. She concentrates on the broad definitions and gives little specific information. Additional details are included in the captions for the excellent quality full-color photographs. Two pages are devoted to insects, again with little detail. Animals are more fully described, and there are good color plates of the birds. Only two pages are included on the people. The best section of the book describes the uses of the forest, but it is misleading to say that burning the rain forest is the cause of the greenhouse effect. A very poor map does little to help readers discover the location of rain forests around the world. A book that's too broad and oversimplified to be useful as a primary resource for reports. --Margaret C. Howell, West Springfield Elementary School, VA
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.