THE SECRETS OF ANIMAL FLIGHT

A lively text and outstanding stop-action photography make this an inviting look at how animals fly. Bishop explains how birds, bats, and insects manage the difficult task of staying aloft. He describes some of the advantages of flight (avoiding predators and extending food sources); discusses the mechanisms of airfoil and lift; examines the structure of a bird wing; and uses the text, diagrams, and series of full-color photographs to show downstroke, upstroke, landing, gliding, and soaring. With the same precision, Bishop covers bat and insect flight. Especially helpful are the photographic sequences—e.g., six shots of a wasp—that clarify the placement of wings and body in each step of flight. Bishop also introduces issues that still puzzle scientists and describes the equipment involved— computers, wind tunnels, X-ray photography, and high-speed photography—in the search for answers. This is an excellent book that makes a difficult topic accessible. (further reading) (Picture book/nonfiction. 8-12)