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Great Big Book Snakes & Reptiles
There couldn't be a better snake or reptile book for adults or kids. It's huge, and has great pictures and very detailed descriptions of most snakes and reptiles in the world. A wonderful deal!!! Each of our boys has their own to always refer to. - From review.
Paperback
First published June 26, 1904
About the author
Barbara Taylor
556 books14 followersBarbara Taylor has written more than 120 children's books and encyclopedias. She was previously Science Editor at London's Natural History Museum. She has won the American Association of Physics Science Award and the National Literacy Association Wow Award.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
May 29, 2026
This is a beautifully illustrated book with easily digestible chunks of information about reptiles: location, diet, evolutionary development, reproductive traits, defense mechanisms, and much more. Subject matter ranges from the Nosy Be Pygmy Leaf Chameleon that could rest on the tip of your finger to forty-five-foot-long prehistoric crocodiles. It took me about three minutes to get through each two-page spread, and the reader can stop at any point and pick up later.
Clean descriptions and graphics shed light on the incredible physical and behavioral traits of reptiles. Take lizards. One lives in the Arctic, and another eats scorpions—the goal is to crush its head before it stings. One has green blood to protect it from parasites. Another shoots blood out of its eyes to ward off predators. There are flying lizards and lizards whose tails detach when they’re attacked.
Beyond making me glad that I don’t live in South America or Africa, this book taught me a great deal about these often-misunderstood creatures. There are unexpected contrasts—the same teeth that a crocodile uses to grab a wildebeest and yank it into the water to drown it, for instance, are used to gently crack eggs to give offspring a head start.
Sidebars highlight reptiles’ appearances in myths, artwork, and literature. The book also helps dispel some false beliefs. Remember the classic image of the snake charmer playing the flute in front of a cobra? The snake can’t hear that; rather, it’s following the motions of the instrument.
The final section on Chelonians (i.e., turtles, tortoises, and terrapins) offers a reprieve from the books more terror-inducing parts. One of the more original characters is the tent-shelled tortoise, which uses its shell to collect rainwater. And when the wood turtle stomps on the ground, worms think it’s raining—dinner is served! Other characters include a pig-nosed turtle and a turtle that turns red when trying to mate.
The book also explores the many obstacles that these creatures face . . . particularly in the form of human-driven threats such as habitat destruction, hunting, invasive species, or the exotic pet trade. Thankfully, though, the book also offers a sense of hope by highlighting conservation efforts.
The bad news is that there are 300 kinds of snakes that can kill a person. There are spitting cobras, and the mamba’s venom can kill a person quickly. One snake even has horns! The good news: statistics indicate that if you live in North America, your chances of being killed by a snake are slim.
Clean descriptions and graphics shed light on the incredible physical and behavioral traits of reptiles. Take lizards. One lives in the Arctic, and another eats scorpions—the goal is to crush its head before it stings. One has green blood to protect it from parasites. Another shoots blood out of its eyes to ward off predators. There are flying lizards and lizards whose tails detach when they’re attacked.
Beyond making me glad that I don’t live in South America or Africa, this book taught me a great deal about these often-misunderstood creatures. There are unexpected contrasts—the same teeth that a crocodile uses to grab a wildebeest and yank it into the water to drown it, for instance, are used to gently crack eggs to give offspring a head start.
Sidebars highlight reptiles’ appearances in myths, artwork, and literature. The book also helps dispel some false beliefs. Remember the classic image of the snake charmer playing the flute in front of a cobra? The snake can’t hear that; rather, it’s following the motions of the instrument.
The final section on Chelonians (i.e., turtles, tortoises, and terrapins) offers a reprieve from the books more terror-inducing parts. One of the more original characters is the tent-shelled tortoise, which uses its shell to collect rainwater. And when the wood turtle stomps on the ground, worms think it’s raining—dinner is served! Other characters include a pig-nosed turtle and a turtle that turns red when trying to mate.
The book also explores the many obstacles that these creatures face . . . particularly in the form of human-driven threats such as habitat destruction, hunting, invasive species, or the exotic pet trade. Thankfully, though, the book also offers a sense of hope by highlighting conservation efforts.
The bad news is that there are 300 kinds of snakes that can kill a person. There are spitting cobras, and the mamba’s venom can kill a person quickly. One snake even has horns! The good news: statistics indicate that if you live in North America, your chances of being killed by a snake are slim.
September 8, 2011
an amazing book about the beautiful and crazy creatures that we know and love here on earth. it talkes about many reptiles such as snakes, lizards, turtles, 'gators, and many other reptiles. the book explains the history of the animal both phisical and how they relate to the world. it talkd about their habitats, structure, diet, behavior, and much more. im sure anyone could enjoy this book.
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July 14, 2009This book is about reptiles and what they do and what they eat.If you get that lizard or snake you will know what to do.
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March 17, 2016very good book about snakes..
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews