Time again for another 'bit of everything' post ...

Underworld: Exploring the Secret World Beneath Your Feet, written by Jane Price and illustrated by James Gulliver Handcock is one of those children's books with a lot of detail. I think they've pretty much covered everything that is out of sight (usually) below us. From the earth itself (crust, mantle, core) to hidden cities (bunkers, bombshelters), cemeteries and burial chambers, animals that never see the light of day ... the list goes on. Good explanations explain each entry. I thought this book would be a quick read. It wasn't. ;-) (Well worth the time, by the way). See the March 29, 2014 post for books on Underground London.

I watch many of the CSI shows presently airing, from those set the past such as The Murdoch Mysteries, to variations on Sherlock Holmes, to a long time favorite, NCIS. They are fun, and the bad guy is usually caught. I also realize that they are not like what an actual CSI team does, how they work, and so forth. Learn more about the actual process of CSI work read Behind the Yellow Tape: On the Road With Some of America's Hardest Working Crime Scene Investigators, by Jarrett Hallcox and Amy Welch. At first there was just one school where the necessary skills to work a crime scene were taught: The National Forensic Academy in Knoxville, Tennessee. This book follows two of the instructors as they visit graduates of the NFA and follow them on a case. More CSI books may be found in the March 18, 2014 post.

G is for Galaxy: an Out of This World Alphabet, written by Janis Campbell & Cathy Collison and illustrated by Alan Stacy is another of the ABC books I like so much. As expected there is a nice rhyme for each letter as well as more detailed information at the side. A nice tour of the solar system and beyond. (I've mentioned so many Alphabet books I'm not even going to try and include them here);-)

Ever wonder how a snail sees the world? Or the brownsnout spookfish? How about the scallop? Find out in Eye to Eye: How Animals See the World, by Steve Jenkins. Fewer mammal than I would have liked, but overall most interesting.

One of the artists in Masters of Perception (July 14, 2015 post) intrigued me ... Rob Gonsalves ... one of my favorites being the painting where the night sky is made into a cityscape by cutting curtains. It's called 'A Change of Scenery' and may be found in Imagine a Night (written by Sarah L. Thomson). See the northern lights become angels, or a snowy field transform to a snuggly bed. Wonderful! For other artists who challenge our perception see August 5, 2015, and July 7 and 17, 2014.

Reading Hermit With Dog