From Fish Gills To Underwater Breathing (Imitating Nature)

Grade 4-6–These tightly focused titles look at the use of technologically inventive adaptations of natural objects and processes to create products useful to human beings. The first book discusses Alan Bodner's ongoing attempts to create an artificial gill vest for divers that would do away with air tanks. The second title describes Eric Baer's current work in developing a camera that has the sharpness of vision of an octopus. Simple and fun to read, the books have a plethora of color photos, diagrams, and sidebars. They might bring to mind the much simpler golden oldie From Start to Finish series (Carolrhoda) but follow a different slant and just may open kids' eyes to what those demanding science-fair projects can lead to. Intriguing.