Starred review from the School Library Journal (2007)

(The following review refers to this book as part of a Face to Face series by the publisher.) These books have remarkable color photos and intriguing observations. Engaging stories about the photographers' field experiences are punctuated with factual information about the animals yet focus on situations that will encourage young researchers to take up a camera, too. Murawski tells how to find caterpillars and discusses their developmental stages, body parts, diet problems, and self-defense mechanisms. [The book has] a closing "Facts at a Glance" section and advice on how to go about self-directed research. Attractive, well written, and fascinating. Reviewer: Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA

National Geographic for Kids has put out a new book that teaches children all about the wonders of caterpillars. Filled with incredible, eye catching illustrations, Face to Face with Caterpillars by Darlyne A. Murawski will wow children, parents, teachers, and librarians. There are simply not enough good things to say about Face to Face with Caterpillars. It excites children with its incredible photography, showing children strange and unusual caterpillars from around the world. It also gets kids to want to learn more about their local caterpillars and create a caterpillar garden. Face to Face with Caterpillars belongs in every school and in every home school environment. There is simply no better way to gain children's interest in caterpillars than by reading this book to them and creating fun activities for each chapter. Reviewer: Elizabeth Yetter

An Outstanding Science Trade Book for K-12 (2005) chosen by the National Science Teachers Association and the Children's Book Council

Biologist-photographer Darlyne Murawski shares her fascination with web-spinning spiders with young readers. They will learn that not all spiders weave webs, but those that do not only create an incredible variety of designs but also have different ways of using their webs to catch their prey. The book is enhanced by fact boxes that list scientific names, common names, food, habitat, and body size, playful illustrations that highlight interesting behavior, and fun trivia. Readers also get some insight into other ways spiders use their silk. The author shares experiences from the field, such as how she makes spider webs visible to photograph them (kids can do it too). Also included are a glossary of terms, a list of Web sites, and books for further reading.

Murawski's big, sharp photos of the original world-wide webs introduce children in a memorably close-up way to the hunting strategies of ten spiders, along with briefer notes on spider silk's other natural uses. Young readers won't quickly forget what they learn from the simple, frank text, either: the ogre-faced spider "bites its prey then spits up juices that 'melt' the soft parts of the insect's body. The spider can hold its meal with its front legs and spin a new web with its hind legs-all at the same time!" The author also supplies common and scientific names, average size, and other basic facts for each example, then closes with lists of paper and online resources that are nicely tuned to the intended audience. Fascinating fare for budding naturalists.

"This magnificent book brings young readers face-to-face with some of the earth's smallest creatures-- insects, spiders and daddy-longlegs. Amazing close-up photographs and interesting facts introduce readers to bug faces of all shapes, colors and textures. From moths and bumblebees to cockroaches and mosquitoes, this resource focuses on the unique facial features of insects including compound eyes, feathery antennae, proboscises and pincher jaws. In addition to highlighting more than a dozen bugs, this reference also presents information about insects that use false faces to trick predators. Young bug lovers will buzz with delight as they read this wonderful book. It will make a nice addition to any science library. Reviewer: Debra Briatico