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A review by katherineg
The Snake Scientist by Sy Montgomery
3.0
How would you feel if you came upon a pit filled with 18,000 snakes? Sy Montgomery opens her book The Snake Scientist by asking us to consider this possibility:
“You hear them before you see them. On a quiet day, as you approach one of the dens at the Narcisse Wildlife Management Area in Manitoba, Canada, you can hear a rustling like wind in dry leaves. It’s the sound of thousands of slithering snakes” (3).
This engaging opening introduces a discussion of snakes in all their glory, as well as a detailed observation of the scientists who work with them. The work of Bob Mason, a snake researcher, is profiled in the book. Montgomery documents his experiments, investigational techniques, and passion for snakes with the journalistic flair of a feature article in a glossy-paged science magazine. School Library Journal notes that the “lively text communicates both the meticulous measurements required in this kind of work and the thrill of new discoveries” (Amazon.com 2004).
Among some of the discoveries profiled in the book are how snakes are able to scent out a female snake in a pile of hundreds of males for mating (the answer – “snake juice” or pheromones), and how snakes are able to find their way back to dens in time for fall. Scientists are shown conducting experiments in these areas, and children are able to get a sense of the work involved as well as a sense of the principles of the scientific method. The breeding and eating habits of snakes are among some of the more general information that is included.
Montgomery often directly addresses the reader, making him feel as if he is actively participating in the book. A discussion of some of the fascinating properties of snakes is one of the book’s many strengths – including a host of fascinating details and trivia that will make children feel like informed insiders about these “amazing and mysterious animals”:
“Snakes’ abilities seem almost magical. They can swallow prey bigger than their own heads by the incredible feat of unhinging their jaws from their skulls. Some snakes, such as vipers, have evolved poisonous saliva – venom – to kill their prey; others, constrictors like boas and anacondas, literally hug their food to death” (15).
Montgomery also notes that snakes “hear” with their tongues and are amazingly quick and agile.
Montgomery also uses humor and enthusiasm to enliven her book. She includes anecdotes from the experimentation process, noting that errant pillowcases full of squirming snakes sometimes cartwheel down the stairs while the scientists are working. Inclusions of additional information, such as the rules of snake etiquette and a listing of snake-related mysteries serve as food for thought. Although the book mostly conforms to nonfiction standards, Montgomery’s voice is not entirely dispassionate. Through the use of many adjectives and superlatives, her enthusiasm for snakes is both obvious and contagious. Uses of literary devices such as alliteration help keep the pages turning quickly.
Documentation is provided for Montgomery’s research in the form of acknowledgements and suggested reading, allowing readers to check her accuracy and do follow-up reading for their own interests. It should also be noted that Bob Mason is an important and reputable scientist in the field, who has won awards and made many important snake related discoveries.
The inclusion of many colorful photographs document the research and experimentation process and provide up-close and personal looks at snakes in their natural environment. Montgomery often refers to the photos in her text, describing them directly, as well as using captions to label them. The photos help the reader to feel more involved in the process being described as well as to develop a greater appreciation for the mysterious nature of snakes.
“You hear them before you see them. On a quiet day, as you approach one of the dens at the Narcisse Wildlife Management Area in Manitoba, Canada, you can hear a rustling like wind in dry leaves. It’s the sound of thousands of slithering snakes” (3).
This engaging opening introduces a discussion of snakes in all their glory, as well as a detailed observation of the scientists who work with them. The work of Bob Mason, a snake researcher, is profiled in the book. Montgomery documents his experiments, investigational techniques, and passion for snakes with the journalistic flair of a feature article in a glossy-paged science magazine. School Library Journal notes that the “lively text communicates both the meticulous measurements required in this kind of work and the thrill of new discoveries” (Amazon.com 2004).
Among some of the discoveries profiled in the book are how snakes are able to scent out a female snake in a pile of hundreds of males for mating (the answer – “snake juice” or pheromones), and how snakes are able to find their way back to dens in time for fall. Scientists are shown conducting experiments in these areas, and children are able to get a sense of the work involved as well as a sense of the principles of the scientific method. The breeding and eating habits of snakes are among some of the more general information that is included.
Montgomery often directly addresses the reader, making him feel as if he is actively participating in the book. A discussion of some of the fascinating properties of snakes is one of the book’s many strengths – including a host of fascinating details and trivia that will make children feel like informed insiders about these “amazing and mysterious animals”:
“Snakes’ abilities seem almost magical. They can swallow prey bigger than their own heads by the incredible feat of unhinging their jaws from their skulls. Some snakes, such as vipers, have evolved poisonous saliva – venom – to kill their prey; others, constrictors like boas and anacondas, literally hug their food to death” (15).
Montgomery also notes that snakes “hear” with their tongues and are amazingly quick and agile.
Montgomery also uses humor and enthusiasm to enliven her book. She includes anecdotes from the experimentation process, noting that errant pillowcases full of squirming snakes sometimes cartwheel down the stairs while the scientists are working. Inclusions of additional information, such as the rules of snake etiquette and a listing of snake-related mysteries serve as food for thought. Although the book mostly conforms to nonfiction standards, Montgomery’s voice is not entirely dispassionate. Through the use of many adjectives and superlatives, her enthusiasm for snakes is both obvious and contagious. Uses of literary devices such as alliteration help keep the pages turning quickly.
Documentation is provided for Montgomery’s research in the form of acknowledgements and suggested reading, allowing readers to check her accuracy and do follow-up reading for their own interests. It should also be noted that Bob Mason is an important and reputable scientist in the field, who has won awards and made many important snake related discoveries.
The inclusion of many colorful photographs document the research and experimentation process and provide up-close and personal looks at snakes in their natural environment. Montgomery often refers to the photos in her text, describing them directly, as well as using captions to label them. The photos help the reader to feel more involved in the process being described as well as to develop a greater appreciation for the mysterious nature of snakes.