My elder daughter developed a fascination with snakes a few months back, and we've been reading about elipids, vipers, Crictor, Verdi and Nagini ever since. At the library a few weeks ago, we discovered The Snake Scientist and read about the adventures of the really cool Dr. Bob Mason and his team of researchers who study the Red-Sided Garter Snake up in Alberta, Canada. The Red-Sided Garter Snake kind-of hibernates in big balls of snake in a few pits in Alberta. Staying in suspended animation in these pits allows them to stay alive during the sometimes cruel Canadian winter. Dr. Mason and his team study these snakes with the goal of learning a lot more about all snakes and have succeeded in discovering that snakes do emit pheromones.
This book is so great because it doesn't talk above grade school understanding but also doesn't dumb down the science. I learned alot from this title and was as engaged in reading it as Esme was. It also suggested further reading if this book grabbed you, and having read several of the recommended titles with Esme as well, I can concur with their suggestions.
Who wouldn't like this book? Anyone who is already an expert on snakes or a kid who is reading above a sixth grade reading level; they might want to give it a cursory glance, but will probably feel beyond this title.
Esme feels that this book helped her learn alot about these snakes and now she wants to go to Oregon State University so she can work with Dr. Bob. It's a pretty good book that can make this budding dress designer cum princess want to become a herpetologist, even if only for a short time.