Diane Swanson, author of Animals Eat the Weirdest Things, provides under-fives with the low-down on animal parts.

In Teeth That Stab and Grind (Greystone $6.95) we learn porcupines clack their teeth to warn away other animals; horses grin to say how-do. Lemurs employ six front teeth as a handy grooming aid, and the male narwhal uses the long, coiled tooth that protrudes through his top lip to attract a mate.

In Feet That Suck and Feed (Greystone $6.95) we learn a camel's wide feet keep it from sinking into the desert sand; kangaroos, who travel along at about 13 kilometers an hour, can easily clear three-metre fences.

Teeth 1-55054-770-4
Feet 1-55054-769-0

[BCBW AUTUMN 2000]