Book Review

You look down; right before your feet is a shallow limestone pit. You listen, pause, and then listen again. You hear a small whistling almost like the sound of wind going through the trees. But what is it you wonder? Now you see them: 18,000 green, yellow, and red beauties. Your first question is answered but you still wonder; what are they? Why would they come here to Narcisse, Canada? Or who would want to study them? But the biggest nagging thought is can I find out more? To answer all these questions about the red-sided garter snakes just pick up Sy Montgomery's book The Snake Scientist!

This book describes the life of Bob Mason, a zoologist at Oregon State University and his studies of the 18,000 red-sided garter snakes in Narcisse, Canada. His discoveries amaze and teach so much about the snakes that I just could not put the book down. You won't be able to stop reading either. The photographs by Nic Bishop make the story easier to understand and more fun to read. They helped me to actually see what the snakes looked like and showed what the author was taking about.

This is a have-to-read-book that everyone will love. The lives of the snakes are so amazing. Montgomery makes the pages so alive in the pictures and easy to understand text. This book is definitely a 5/5 book that children 7+ will enjoy. I would definitely read it over again!

~ David Brann, Harpswell Islands School
"Read, Write & Win!" 2004 First Place / 5th Grade