Summary
This book provides information on the king cobra for young students, and focuses also on the people who work with them to manufacture anti-venoms that save lives.
Critical Annotation
This slim volume starts out with a bang…discussing the career and bravery of a man who has survived numerous king cobra attacks as he works to develop anti-venom remedies for snake bites. By focusing the beginning of the book on the power of the snake’s venom and efforts to create antidotes to it, the author grabs the reader’s attention right away. Subsequently, she discusses the other physical aspects of the king cobra, its use as entertainment in India, and its diet and habits. There is a good index and a list of resources for further information that are helpful. The illustrations are colorful and apt, and they add to the book’s impact. This reviewer checked out the factsurfer website and found it to be a good resource.
Series Comments
Nature’s Deadliest series includes twelve titles, including The African Elephant, The Bengal Tiger, and The Komodo dragon.
Recommendations
This is recommended for all collections serving elementary-school students, as well as elementary science classrooms.
