Review: The fascinating world of snakes
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 14, 2013
Snakes and other reptiles have gotten so popular that the formerly annual Repticon show in Atlanta has now expanded to four shows a year. That's not good, since I have to accompany my snake-loving wife every time she goes to make sure she doesn't come home with some expensive reptile. As much as many people fear snakes, they can't seem to get enough of them. So that explains the plethora of new books about snakes. "SNAKES: Fun Facts and Amazing Photos of Animals in Nature" is the fourth book on snakes that I've reviewed in the past year, and I doubt if it will be my last.It's a good book to introduce youngsters to the different types of snakes and their habits. Even grown-ups will probably pick up a few tidbits about snakes. Among the interesting things that I learned:* Snakes don't all slither the same way; they have four different ways they can travel: serpentine, sidewinding, caterpillar, or concertina.* Snakes don't have ears, but they can hear nonetheless.* There are about 2,700 species of snakes, with only about 375 of these being venomous.* Snakes' mating rituals are really weird. Really really weird.* The black mamba snake isn't black at all.* Corn snakes don't eat corn; they don't climb on corn either.The book includes some excellent color photography to complement the text. Overall, it's a nice introduction to snakes for youngsters or anyone who's not familiar with these fascinating creatures.