This series is specially written as a first natural history book for the new reader. The life cycle from conception to adulthood is explained for a variety of familiar animals and plants, with illustrations of each stage in their development. The books are designed to be used in a number of ways: young readers can follow or read a text specially set in large type; older children can read the more detailed smaller type. In addition, young children can "read" the pictures as the "story" is read to them. This illustrated study in the "Life Cycles" series concentrates on the garden snail. Following a description of the snail and the way in which it moves, the author describes courting, mating, egg-laying and growth of these creatures. The reader learns about the courtship dance which snails perform before mating, the way in which they bury their eggs to protect them until they hatch and how the baby snails grow to adulthood and repeat the life cycle. The text also contains suggestions for a simple method of keeping or investigating the snail. Jennifer Coldrey has also written "Discovering Slugs and Snails", "Discovering Fungi", "Discovering Worms" and "Discovering Flowering Plants". - from Amzon