Strange Eating Habits of Sea Creatures (Ocean World Library)

Unusual and interesting facts about the odd eating behaviors of such familiar fish as gulpers and biters offer young readers an understanding of the interdependence of many forms of life in the sea

Grade 4-6 In a clear, although sometimes oversimplified, writing style, Sibbald describes the methods by which a wide variety of sea creatures obtain and eat their food, an event complicated by the very nature of their watery environment. The book is organized into chapters based on the manner in which an animal acquires its food, whether it be by gulping (tuna), drilling and hammering (whelk or sea otter), shocking (electric ray), grazing (periwinkle and sea urchin), and so on, covering 11 different methods of food acquisition. The animals included range from the shark and lobster to the lesser-known limpet and cleaner wrasse. Colorful photographs illustrate the text, but there are not enough, and the selection is not a judicious one. For example, although there are extensive verbal descriptions, that of the radula of a periwinkle is not clear because it is not illustrated. The topic is of interest to young readers, but this book would need to be supplemented by others, such as Animals that Live in the Sea (National Geographic Society, 1978) by Joan Ann Straker or more specific volumes, such as A Snail's Pace (Scribners, 1974; o.p.) by Lilo Hess. Pam Spencer, Mount Vernon High School, Alexandria, Va.
Copyright 1987 Reed Business Information, Inc.