Let's Explore: Amazing Creatures of the Tidepools

What's life like in a tidepool? Well, picture yourself sitting at your desk scanning the latest Dilbert cartoons for choice bons mot to drop at the next staff meeting when...WHAM!...a tsunami-like wave sweeps you (and your workstation) into an adjoining county. What's worse: for the denizens of the tidepools, this little scenario happens twice a day. In the first tape of the two-volume Amazing Creatures of the Tidepools, the latest addition to the acclaimed Let's Explore series (see The Wonderful World of Houses [VL-5/94] and Story Starters, Vol. 1 [VL-1/96]), viewers will learn how tidepools are created and divided into various strata, before embarking on an extended close-up look at the residents--ranging from the periwinkles in the splash zone to the sea hares found at the low tide level. The second tape explores the food chain in the tidepool--from plankton to predators--and visits with a number of professionals in the field for an inside look at marine aquarium labs. Combining interesting (and often humorous) commentary from an animated crab named Henry, excellent camerawork (my only quibble was with some wind coming across the mic during a couple of interview segments on the first tape), and helpful tips for exploring tidepools (including a handy dandy demo on how to make a water microscope), this comprehensive introduction is enthusiastically recommended. Aud: I, J, P. (R. Pitman)