Ant ¦ Shark ¦ Snake ¦ Spider

This new series from Eagle combines the well-tried talents of Chinery and Watts in some very pleasing treatments of standard items from the horror stock-cupboard. The refreshing absence of formula - other than the convention of photographs on the right, words and drawings on the left - has freed the author to present each subject differently. So with Ant we get a straight account of the cycle from egg to August-flyer, whereas Snake introduces us first to the nature of snakiness as exemplified by the American Corn snake (which eats rats whole because no snake can chew anything) before getting round to eggs and hatching on page 20. Shark parades a whole variety of species, some vicious, some viviparous and one with a penchant for eating overcoats (minus occupants) and Spider starts with eggs and spiderlings, watching them grow into instinctive websters.

This quartet's uncluttered straightforwardness is supported by fine production; not only is the paper of a quality complementary to the photographs but print and layout are an object lesson in effective simplicity. Added to this a strong cloth hinge and sturdy lamination - all done in Worzalla, USA - will prolong the attractive life of books whose subjects won't go out of fashion.