Gr 1-4--This attractive book and tape set tells the story of a black-faced lion tamarin living in the Atlantic rainforest of Brazil. In the course of the story, readers/listeners learn about the habits of tamarins as well as the rainforest's cycle of plant growth and decay, pollination, predator/prey relationships, and various rainforest plants and animals. The tape follows the book exactly, making this a good read-along set. Background music enhances the moods of the story, while rainforest insect and animal sounds add atmosphere and enhance the narration. The sound quality is good. The narrator's voice is pleasant, clear, and expressive. One side of the tape has indicator tones for those following along in the book. The lush, deeply saturated colors in the book's illustrations depict the richness and diversity of rainforest flora and fauna. The animals are sometimes not to scale, giving the impression that the tamarin is much larger than the squirrel sized creature it actually is. A four-panel fold-out painting at the end of the book includes all the creatures shown in the story. A factual end note gives a brief history of the Atlantic rainforest and describes the current environmental threats to and endangered status of tamarins. Children will enjoy listening to the tape as they pore over the illustrations. A worthwhile purchase for elementary school and public libraries.

Cynthia Ortiz, Lee Memorial Library, Allendale, NJ

Copyright 1997 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.