Review by Booklist Review
Dropping the names of numerous researchers into her narrative, Crump presents a lively and well-informed portrait of the world's biggest, deadliest lizard. Noting that Komodo dragons are dangerous particularly because their deadly dragon drool is infested with toxic bacteria but that just like us, some are more sociable than others, she explains in a coherent, systematic way how scientists study them close-up to learn about their life cycles, typical behavior, eating habits, and environment, then closes with summary facts and information about the Komodo Survival Program. Along with useful range maps, the big, well-chosen color illustrations include photographs of the Indonesian landscape and scenes of the reptiles hatching, wrestling for mates, eyeing prey (which includes young dragons), and hanging out with humans. There's no lack of current books on the topic, but the twin focus on the creatures themselves and on the people who study them makes this a standout, and readers with a serious yen to know more will find the unusually large bibliography of (mostly) adult resources just the ticket.--Peters, John Copyright 2010 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-7-There's nothing like a toothy, bulky, 10-foot-long lizard with deadly saliva to arouse readers' interest. While Crump's lively text does not supply a stage-by-stage description of the animal's life cycle and physiology, it does give enough data to satisfy many readers and researchers. More importantly, it follows a long-term research project into the chemical makeup of "dragon drool" and the possible practical applications of the chemicals in this deadly substance to human pharmacology. Clear, color photos depict dragons from hatchlings to adults, scientists hiding in blinds and weighing catches, and zookeepers cuddling dragons with "gentle" dispositions. Conservation efforts underway to protect this rare and threatened species are included. A range of topics appears in the addenda, including the dragon's life cycle, the use of its forked tongue as an environment "tester," dragon conservation status, and survival programs. A surefire selection in terms of appeal and information.-Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Crump's work in herpetology gives her access to unique and stunning photographs of the title creatures. Readers can peruse the photos, with helpful captions, and learn fascinating facts. The text is also intriguing (though perhaps difficult for some readers to navigate without a table of contents). Further information about life cycle and endangerment plus "Indonesia: Facts in Brief" are appended. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind. (c) Copyright 2011. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Thousands of years ago, the Komodo dragon may have inspired dragon legends in China and beyond. In more recent times, researchers from all over the world have traveled to the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia to study the Komodo dragon. This lively if somewhat haphazardly organized account focuses on the efforts of contemporary researchers, presents some of their cooler findings (female dragons can reproduce through parthenogenesis; their saliva is laced with deadly bacteria) and profiles a few captive specimens. Mostly color photographs from a variety of sources adorn almost every page, and captions add to the information. Learning about the Komodo dragon is not for the faint of heart, and the photos show the wild beasts in all their gory glory. The extensive backmatter includes brief facts about Indonesia, more information on the Komodo dragon life cycle and its use of smell and conservation information. A portion of the sales will be donated to the Komodo Survival Program. (bibliography, further reading, glossary, websites, index, author's note) (Nonfiction. 9-11)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
