The Magic Of Cells

I'll bet you forgot all about the endoplasmic reticulum didn't you? Well, it's one of those organelles in each and every cell (including the trillion or so making up your body) that we memorized back in 8th-grade Biology. The Magic of Cells, though a tad on the dry side narration-wise, mixes good live action video and some fine computer animation to teach viewers about cells and their constituent parts. Topics include the different types of cells, a cell's basic job description (energy, storage, manufacturing), and the similarity between like cells in differing species (i.e, muscle cells in monkeys and humans look very much alike). Although primarily meant for use in a classroom, the absence of curriculum-related materials and relatively low price make this a good choice for public libraries as well as junior high school libraries. Recommended. (R. Pitman)