Bibliographic Information:
Title: The Book of Snakes: A Life-Sized Guide to Six Hundred Species From Around the World
Author: Mark O'Shea
ISBN: 978-0226459394
Copyright Date: Oct 15, 2018
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Reading Level / Interest Level: Older Teens (based on format and amount of text)
Genre / Format: Nonfiction, Reference / Book
Awards or Honors: None as of the publication of this post.
Author Background: Mark O'Shea is an English herpetologist, photographer, lecturer, and author. He is also known internationally as the presenter of Discovery/Animal Planet's Oshea's Big Adventure. Much of his herpetological research from his academic career is from Papua New Guinea but he has experience working on every continent except Antarctica. He is currently the professor or Herpetology at the University of Wolverhampton in the United Kingdom (Oshea, n.d.).
Plot Summary: The Book of Snakes explores 600 species of snakes and captures the vast diversity in the order of Serpentes. The large book is mainly large, beautiful color photographs that highlight the unique morphology and adaptation of these animals. The book tackles common misconceptions of snakes and celebrates the diversity that makes these creatures so mysterious, fascinating, graceful, and deadly.
Critical Evaluation for Books and Non-Print Items: The format is incredibly effective: the pages have beautiful photographs and color-illustrations. Unlike smaller field guides, this large book is a lot more thorough, providing natural history, range maps, and conservation issues. Most of this information is conveyed through visuals.
Creative Use for a Library Program: Looking For Snakes -- Herping Staff, in collaboration with East Bay Regional Parks, will take teens to a local East Bay park to look for snakes and lizards (herping). We will show teens proper herping etiquette, emphasizing the importance of microbiomes and placing logs back exactly as you found them. Staff with pet snakes will bring them to the library to ensure that teens get to interact with at least one animal.
Speed-Round Book Talk or Short Book Trailer: Snakes are feared and loved across many cultures. Learn more about these mysterious, misunderstood creatures in this book covering 600+ species from all over the world. Enjoy colorful photographs highlighting key morphological traits, and range maps for your next herpetology expedition. Snake lovers will love this book!
Potential Challenge Issues and Defense Preparation: Parents who are terrified of snakes may object to having this kind of material displayed at the library. I would argue that a challenge like that is exactly why books like these are important: snakes are feared and this fear can lead to mistreatment. Snakes continue to be misunderstood vertebrates and this guide will provide reliable information that highlights what makes snakes so diverse and interesting.
Reason for Inclusion: Unfortunately, the subjects of zoology and natural history are not subjects of priority in the public education system and thus, students may not find out about these career options until later in life, at which point they may already be behind. The Book of Snakes draws in young readers interested in learning more about the natural world, inspires them to ask questions, and shows them that these questions can lead to future careers working with animals. I find that the most effective way of captivating someone’s attention is to present obscure facts or overwhelm with diversity and detail through large, beautiful pictures (both photographs and illustrations). Drawing out this sense of wonder will hopefully lead to further questions that will eventually develop into a passion for natural history.
Enhancements
Mark O'Shea and snakes!