Limestone Caves by Roy A. Gallant, Roy A. Gallant

Children's Literature

Part of the "First Books" series on natural history, Gallant offers an organized introduction to the subject. He is particularly good at explaining the creation of caves, making the interesting point that once air breaks into the underground cavity, the cave stops growing larger-yet only then can calcite formations like stalactites begin to shape. Gallant touches briefly on prehistoric art caves but his true strength lies in the science, rather than the art of caves.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-7-A clear, competently written presentation of a strange subterranean world. After a brief general introduction to cave types and history, Gallant gets right down to the tightly focused, nitty-gritty, beloved of generations of report writers: how limestone caves are formed, their unique geological features, and the variety of critters that enjoy ecological niches in this otherworldly habitat. The author includes a chapter on the prehistoric art found in some of the caves and one on safety tips and respectful behavior when visiting these sites. All of the information is illuminated with a gracing of clear, full-color and black-and-white photographs and is rounded out with an extensive glossary, a list for further reading, and Internet resources. Paired with Wendy Davis's simpler, more visual and even more narrowly focused Limestone Cave (Children's Press, 1997), Gallant's careful construction will satisfy many needs. Accurate, informative, and serviceable.-Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

Product Details

• ISBN: 0531202933
  
• ISBN-13: 9780531202937
• Format: Hardcover, 64pp
• Publisher: Scholastic Library Publishing
• Pub. Date: March 1998
• Series: First Books Series