National Geographic Pocket Guide to Reptiles and Amphibians of North America

by Catherine Herbert Howell

This basic beginner's field guide to our favorite animals that slither and swim is the latest in the growing National Geographic Pocket Guide series. Spot-on descriptive information and key facts about reptiles and amphibians are conveyed in a handy, colorful, easy-to-reference volume. More robust than any other beginning field guides, this book includes selected photography and newly commissioned art and graphics to illustrate and identify each species from every angle. With logical organization and bulleted information, this pocket guide is useful in the field or as in-home reference, for beginners, families, and new nature lovers alike.

Genres: Animals, Nature, Science, Reference

176 pages, Paperback

First published March 31, 2015

Reviews

[XxAnubisxX · Rating 2 out of 5]

Despite vivid pictures and references for other books, websites, and even apps for readers to look into; it doesn't have tips on collecting, doesn't advise on the full dangers of invasive species, pages on species are EXTREMELY short (each species has exactly ONE page on it), the information on the pages couldn't even be considered "bare bones" as there is barely any TRUE in-depth info besides coloring, what its habitat is, where it can be found, food, and a quick little blurb of info on it including how many offspring (generally the blurb is just a paragraph long). Promotes itself as a "north american" guide, however admits to overall excluding Mexico. It only includes 148 species out of 700+. The actual species pages will use technological terms to herpetology (which is the study of reptiles and amphibians) that the average person wouldn't know, and does not proceed to explain what they mean the few times it does is rare.

It also contradicts itself several times, perfect example being how it describes venomous snakes versus nonvenomous: it goes on to say that with the exception of coral snakes, venomous species have triangular heads and slitted pupils, where as nonvenomous snakes have narrower heads and round pupils (including illustrated diagrams); however the book then mentions how the hognose is venomous but poses mild threat, without mentioning they have round pupil eyes. Same with garters, which are nonvenomous but several species have triangular heads. Neither of which the book addresses. Contradicts like this can be potentially extremely deadly to someone.

Overall for a cute little pocket book with some nice pictures its good, but should be taken with a HUGE grain of salt due to several pieces of misinformation within, and the reader should research through other books to get a more accurate picture with more solid and informative pages.