Color photographs. An effective photo essay dealing with seven varieties of big cats - lion, tiger, leopard, puma, cheetah, jaguar, and snow leopard. Excellent action shots are combined with a brief text to provide basic information about the animals' characteristics, habits, and habitats.

<p> To accompany gorgeous, beautifully composed color portraits and unusual action shots of these handsome, fascinating beasts, a noted science author provides a cogent text contrasting their habits, habitats, and characteristics and concluding that their future is ``up to us.'' Excellent.~(Nonfiction. 6-10)</p>

Gr 2-5-- Simon returns to the animal world with a striking presentation of seven members of the cat family: those that roar--the lion, tiger, leopard and jaguar--and those that merely purr--the puma, cheetah, and snow leopard. An overview discusses characteristics inherent in all, and singles out those unique to individual species. Enough information is presented to satisfy browsers and to develop an understanding of the cats' hunting techniques and adaptations to specific environments whether grasslands, jungles, or snowy mountains. Care has been taken to include those that exist in many parts of the world and to dispel some myths about these mighty hunters. Concluding statements describe how many of the big cats have been hunted nearly to extinction and give suggestions on ways they can be protected. The format is large, spacious, and uncluttered, and the text flows with an energy that matches the strength of these animals. Full-page, full-color photographs are well chosen for their clarity and diversity as cats stare boldly, hunt for prey, or appear in gentle poses with their cubs. A book that commands attention andis as impressive as the magnificent beasts it features. --Diane Nunn, Richard E. Byrd Elementary Sch . , Glen Rock, NJ