An ecologist records a typical “research night” in Florida’s Everglades, using her own experiences to paint a picture of this unique geological/biological habitat. Larsen’s informative text records the efforts of scientists “Laurel” and “Dan” to evaluate water quality and flow, measure peat layers and sediment rates, photograph “floc” and zooplankton, and collect water samples from a tiny research platform in the heart of the ‘Glades. Slathered in mosquito repellent, they spend a night under the stars, working on their projects and enjoying the wildlife in this wide ecosystem (except for said mosquitoes). Larsen defines unfamiliar terms in the margin and includes snips of data. All is illuminated by Turley’s colorful, full-page illustrations of such sights as airboats, birds, alligators, and a sunrise, and some smaller details of bladderworts, crayfish, and the like. Team this title with Jeff Corwin’s photo-full Jeff Corwin: The Extraordinary Everglades (Grossett & Dunlap, 2010) and Wayne Lynch’s anecdote-graced The Everglades (NorthWorld, 2007) for a clear look at the endangered “River of Grass.”

– Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY, Library Journal