Publisher's Weekly Review
Stunning photography characterizes these Eyewitness Books, each of which brings museum-like collections right into readers' laps. The large format and glossy pages guarantee that no details are lost: the stripes of a banded claystone from East Africa are sharp and clear in Rocks; each diamond and ruby in the jade-inlaid handle of a Persian dagger is delineated in Arms; the intricate bone structure of a porpoise's paddle is perfectly discernible in Skeletons; and each bit of fluff and string in the ``medley of materials'' that makes up a nest is in focus in Bird. Illustrations and inset photographs accompany each spread of objects, which are set on a pristine white background. The unfussy design gives these books a sophisticated look, and each one is an odyssey for readers of any age. Ages 10-up. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Kirkus Review
An eye-grabber: large, clear photographic layouts of weapons share pages with explanatory text and definitive illustrations--in a combination that looks like a table-top covered with goodies. Each double-spread covers a subject, from primitive weapons to the ""Guns that Won the West""; it's easy to forget their function in the beauty of the pieces and their clever designs. A four-page spread on ""Crossbow versus Longbow"" provides an excellent, detailed look at both, including advantages, firing procedure, and even a quick take on William Tell. The pages on American Indian weapons incorporate a quick history lesson. Other weapons, especially from the Middle Ages, are breathtaking simply as art. A plum pudding of a book. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Gr. 4-7. These first four books in a projected series are a visual feast with strong appeal to a wide age range-ideal choices for integrated adult/juvenile nonfiction collections. Done in a photo-essay format, they provide armchair excursions to fine musuems. Each begins with a dramatically composed title page on which a selection of labeled objects are intriguingly arranged, followed by thorough contents (references to the indexes are only necessary for detailed study). The brilliantly colored photos have a luminous sheen, imparting an almost three-dimensional quality. Within Bird, for example, Burnie examines body construction, feathers and flight, nests, and bird watching. In Byam's Arms & Armor the time frame covered for the implements' design, construction, and use ranges from the Stone Age axe to the guns that won the Wild West. Parker's Skeleton provides a study of the evolution, structure, and function of both human and animal skeletal systems. Rocks, first seen as prehistoric weapons in Arms & Armor, are also studied in depth by the authors who explain their creation and types, mining, erosion, and many uses in Rocks & Minerals. Both a student and browser/hobbyist's delight. PW.
