Both children and adults will find Snakes and Lizards a book with lots of eye appeal. The laminated pages are attractively designed with text presented in relatively short paragraphs on pastel backgrounds. In addition, colour illustrations and photographs, sidebars on backgrounds of contrasting colour, and adequate white space all invite the reader to tackle the text. Before children do this, however, they will probably be drawn to the stereographic viewer attached to the spiral binding at the front of the book. This viewer is easily detached and assembled for the purpose of viewing the 24 detachable cards found in the last four pages of the book. Each card has two almost-identical photos of a snake or lizard on one side and the name, size, diet, habitat, and range of the animal on the other side. When the card is inserted into the viewer, the reptile looks three-dimensional. While it is exciting to see such realistic pictures with so much detail, once the cards are removed from their pages, it is frustrating to search for the appropriate card referred to in the body of the book. Individual pockets for each card with the animal name and page reference on the front of the pocket might have been a better way to organize the cards.

Author Dennis Bockus packs a lot of information about snakes and lizards into his book. While the text follows a logical progression from information about the physical features of snakes and lizards to facts about specific species, each double spread also stands on its own. Kids looking for information about pythons, rattlesnakes, cobras, skinks, chameleons, or iguanas can easily locate it in the index or by looking at the subtitles. The text, however, is not as easily accessible. Sentence length and structure, as well as vocabulary, put the text at a Grade 6 and higher reading level. The glossary helps with the vocabulary to some extent. The second book in the series, entitled Insects and Spiders, is identical in design, but has the advantage of being at a lower reading level so that it can be used as a research tool by children in a broader age range.

Both books will definitely excite children and stimulate them to look at reptiles, insects, and spiders in all their interesting dimensions.