Tropical rain forests are home to countless species of beautiful animals, insects, and plants. In Why Are the Rain Forests Vanishing?, Isaac Asimov explains the cause of the destruction and the price we pay for the disappearance of these lush lands.

For general information on the “Ask Isaac Asimov” series, see What Is a Shooting Star?

On the whole, the environmental books in the “Ask Isaac Asimov” series fare better with me than the astronomical books; perhaps this is because Asimov doesn’t cover environmental issues elsewhere for young children except in the relatively obscure Earth: Our Crowded Spaceship. As a result, I’m a bit less resentful of the incredible cost of this particular book and actually enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend it to an elementary school student with an interest in the subject.

As with some of the other books in the series, I found it a trifle disappointing and not as strong as it might be in describing the potential extent of the ecological disaster facing us—but here I think it’s a minor quibble. It’s still worthwhile.