Unseen Worlds: Real-Life Microscopic Creatures Hiding All Around Us

Microscopic environments thrive, hidden from human view. The strange creatures that populate these tiny realms are the focus of the 10 fold-out spreads in this book, each illustrating a specific habitat, from the surface of the skin (“Attack of the Skin Snackers”) to the depths of the sea (“A Parade of Ocean Floor Monsters”). A concise text block on a fold-out flap sets the scene for Laverdunt’s zoomed-in, teeming depictions of invisible worlds—“Among the fibers of your bedsheets, a jungle of microscopic fungi has grown up.” On the flap’s reverse side, a numbered key matches Rajcak’s brief, informative identifications of assorted protozoa and micro-animals to the illustration; each spread also includes a scale to help readers understand relative sizes. Supplemental materials include information on microscopes and microorganism classification, alongside a glossary, index, and selected sources. The book’s not quite as neat as peering through a microscope, but it’s close. Ages 7–11. [em](Oct.) [/em]