Kevin Blake

Is envenomaters a word? I suspect it is not. However, it's certainly the title of another hi-lo nonfiction series from Bearport that's sure to get plenty of use. This title focuses on snake bites and, appropriately, pictures a king cobra on the cover (I happen to be very fond of king cobras and always visit the one at the zoo - I love the way they look at you as if they are thinking about you and how smoothly they coil and the way they stand up...)

The book begins with the dramatic story of Karl Schmidt, a herpetologist at the Chicago Field Museum in the 1950s who was bitten by a boomslang and died. After describing his death, the book explains the different types of venom, how snakes use it, a few more gruesome snake bite stories, and how antivenom is made. Three of the deadly snakes in the book are profiled at the end - boomslangs, king cobras, and western diamondback rattlesnakes. There is a glossary, index, brief bibliography (two titles), two more titles about snakes to read, and a sentence about the author.

There were a couple things that disappointed me about this book - I would have liked more emphasis on how snakes generally only bite people who bother them - everyone in the book who was bitten was playing with, teasing, or otherwise carelessly handling snakes. I was also disappointed that not all the snakes pictured were identified. The background of the cover is fuschia scales, which I think are just for show, but there's a picture of sort of purple/indigo snake with black and white markings eating some kind of lizard and I want to know what it is! I've never seen anything like that before! From some searching I think it might be a species of cobra? Anyways, I need more information!

Other titles in the series include frogs, lizards, scorpions, spiders, and mammals (all venomous in some way).

Verdict: While I wouldn't make this your only or primary resource on snakes and other venomous creatures, it's a fun supplemental resource and the gruesome stories will get kids interested in reading more about these cool reptiles.

ISBN: 9781684026555; Published 2018 by Bearport; Review copy provided by publisher; Donated to the library… (meer)

Friends of creepy crawlies and more dangerous creatures will not only get a thrill but learn all sorts of things about the world of scorpions.

The theme of this book is very clear—deadly scorpions. The first page already introduces a wild environment in the jungles of Thailand and a man who lost his life thanks to a tiny black scorpion. The ominous tone is set...and it's clear why this book isn't recommend for younger readers. But this isn't a 'horror' story. Rather, facts are everything, and while the danger of the venom is clear, the scientific end stays front and center. A few real-life stories from victims, who've been stung by scorpions give the book a creepy setting which is sure to intrigue readers, but at the same time, the scorpions are explained, investigated and presented not only from a biological stand-point but also from a chemical one. Readers learn that the venom might be dangerous, but it also offers hopes for the future in medicinal areas. It also makes it clear how much respect a person must have in regard to these creatures.

Various species of scorpions are presented with bright, clear photos which present them in the natural habitat. The anatomy is briefly explained, habits, anti-venom and the truth about scorpion stings. While the main information is presented in paragraph form, other interesting tidbits are scattered in bubbles throughout the page, making it fun to flip through. At the end of the book, there's a glossary, a small chart of the three scorpions to really look out for, an index, places where more information can be found, and a website address to also learn more.

It's a short, bright book which especially reluctant readers will appreciate. The information is well laid-out, making it interesting and enjoyable to flip through time and again.

I received a complimentary copy and found this book informative that I wanted to leave my honest thoughts.… (meer)

This is a different angle on reading about the Titanic. The information stops at the sea trials and does not talk about the sinking at all. The details sometimes get tedious with how much steal plates weighed and how long they were. But most details were entertaining. Only 8 people died while working on the ship. With no hard hats and sketchy early 1900s scaffolding, this number surprised me. Also, Alexander Carlisle quit because they cut the number of lifeboats from the original plans so that the first class passengers' views would not be obstructed. In the original plans, there would have been enough lifeboats for everyone.… (meer)