Ever wonder what a tardigrade might have looked like? Or what tree wetas eat? Now you can find out, because this great nature encyclopedia answers these questions and a jillion more. Organized into sections ("The Natural World," "How Living Things Work," "Ecology," "Classification," "Plants," and "Animals"), the Nature Encyclopedia is a perfect reference for anyone curious about organisms, ecosystems, and the scientists who study them. It"s full of amazing color photos and easy-to-understand illustrations and diagrams so you can feel confident when you say, "Look, there"s a Periplaneta americana, otherwise known as an American cockroach! Say, did you know they evolved long before humans?" We love this encyclopedia, and its companion book, The DK Science Encyclopedia, which covers the nonliving world with excellent information on space, rocks, electricity, and more. (Ages 9 to 12) --Therese Littleton