The Atlas of Wild Places: In S

Shows and describes wilderness areas in the Polar regions, North and South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Australia

YA-This combination of gorgeous photographs and readable text provides teens with an excellent introduction to many of the world's remaining wilderness areas. The main body of the book is divided into seven regions-Polar, North and Central America, South America, Africa, Europe, Asia, and Southeast Asia and Australia. (For the continental U.S., only the Okefenokee Swamp in Georgia and Florida and the Mazatzal Wilderness of Arizona were selected.) Few describes the geography, geological makeup, flora and fauna, and weather systems affecting each of the 41 areas discussed. Relief maps and full-color diagrams are included. The descriptions make readers aware of the widely varying terrain on our planet and convey the author's enthusiasm for preserving the entire ecological base of each area. A gazeteer provides capsule descriptions of 89 more wild areas. Useful for assignments but interesting reading on its own.
Patricia Q. Noonan, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Few (Macmillan Children's Guide to Endangered Animals, Macmillan, 1993) offers heavily illustrated four-to six-page profiles of 41 isolated wildernesses scattered around the globe, plus a gazetteer containing brief profiles of 89 other wild areas. Each chapter presents basic facts (land area, distance above/below sea level, geological age, and seasonal temperature) along with a summary of the plants, animals, and people indigenous to the region. A global map projection places the regions discussed in an international context, while smaller maps in each chapter show regional details; these maps could have used more labeling of major features such as rivers and lakes. Occasional two-page photo-essays examine in detail people or wildlife unique to the region. The most useful aspect of this book is its coverage of wildernesses outside the United States. An optional purchase for public and school libraries.-Laurie Tynan, Montgomery Cty.
Norristown P.L., Pa.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.