Nature guide to Acadia National Park

Professional photographers and biologists, the Simpsons have created a brief but well-organized field guide for visitors to Maine's Acadia National Park, encompassing multiple ecosystems: mountains, ocean coastline, swamps, forests, saltwater marshes, freshwater rivers. This guide covers what visitors will see as they hike, wade, birdwatch, and swim and helps identify the wide-ranging features of the park. Chapters are divided into large focus areas, such as mammals, birds, trees, wildflowers, and rocks. Favored trails are described, and the animals one might see on each are listed. The Simpsons show how to identify not only birds and mammals but also reptiles, fish, butterflies, and insects. In addition to information on local flora and fauna, other Maine nature areas and activities are listed as well, such as wildlife refuges, state parks, boat tours, and natural history museums. The authors' photography skills are on full display in the color photographs found on nearly every page, and they offer tips for taking one's own nature photos too. VERDICT An essential title for Maine libraries and those nearby.--Catherine Lantz