This comprehensive collection of facts about fish is sure to educate as well as fascinate.
There is no doubt that readers will learn something new, whether they sit down and devour the entire offering or pick and choose from among the tremendous array of topics from the index (there is no table of contents). From fish that produce light and fish that are capable of powered flight, to fish that can change sex and fish that carry their offspring in their mouths, this is chock full of both the amazing and the weird. But the majority of the book is meant to inform readers about fish—their classes, movement, eating habits, adaptations, birth and sexual development and evolution. A “Food for Thought” section seems out of place among all the fish facts, but provides some history and information about the human impact on fish populations. While the rather advanced vocabulary and biology that Swinney delves into mark this as a book for older readers, younger ones can certainly enjoy both the illustrations and the occasional factoid. Mason’s artwork is both painstakingly detailed and realistically colored, even down to the muting effect that water has on colors. Few books come close to this one’s inclusiveness. A list of questions at the end serves cleverly as an index.A delight for future ichthyologists and a thorough resource for research projects. (Nonfiction. 10 & up)