A Collection

For The Young,

Of Animals

MONKEY ISLAND, by Jane Riet veld. Most children are fascinated by watching the monkeys at the zoo.

But this story is about a monkey who was fascinated by the children who came to watch. He wondered if they behaved as he and his brothers and sisters behaved and wondering made him quite melancholy. So one day he escaped from the zoo to find out.

Most of this story is told in rather unusual monotone drawings. (Angus and Robertson. $1.95).

I’M TIRED OF LIONS, by Zhenya Gay. Little Leo the Lion decided he’d rather be any other kind of animal than a lion—until he set out to see how the rest of the world lived. There are plenty of animal illustrations in this book but a good slice of story as well. (Angus and Robertson. $1.60).

SHARKS, a Reed Science Colour book, is for older children. It is written by Dr. J. A. F. Garrick who is senior lecturer in zoology at Victoria University in Wellington, NZ. He has studied sharks in Aus tralia, New Zealand, Africa and else where. It is full of coloured illustra tions and up-to-date information that should make it of interest to budding naturalists and to all youngsters who spend their summers surfing and swimming in coastal waters. (A.. H. & A. W. Reed. $1.15).

The Improbable Kanga

ROO, by Axel Poignant, deals with other Australian weirdies as well.

It is illustrated by the author’s own excellent photographs of wild-life and by drawings, many of them by the very earliest European visitors to Australia.

The text combines historical fact and modern information very pleasantly. It describes how 18th century Europe believed explorers’ descriptions of large animals who stood on their hind legs and carried their young in a pouch or of black swans were leg-pulls; and has some thing to say about present-day con servation methods.

This well-produced book would make an excellent gift for anyone over the age of 10 who is interested

in nature.-

JT.

(Angus and Robertson. $4.95.)