Readers can see the two huge compound eyes of a deer fly, each of which contains thousands of tinier eyes. They can then look at the eight eyes of a nursery-web spider, arranged in two horizontal rows. Readers learn how a mosquito uses its lower lip, which resembles an extra leg, to steady its feeding tube when drinking. They discover how a cockroach uses its palps, long feeders located near its mouth, to pre-taste food so that it can avoid eating anything that might be harmful. The unusual images and the fascinating information that Murawski provides will captivate even older students.
Faces can serve as an excellent introduction to the study of insects for students of any age.
Darlyne A. Murawski is a research associate at Harvard University, a biologist, and a nature photographer. She holds a Ph.D. in botany from the University of Texas at Austin and an M.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Her articles and photographs have appeared in National Geographic magazine. The books highlighted this week are available in most bookstores. Inc. All Rights Reserved.