Micucci's cheerful account emphasizes the prolific insect's impressive history, industry, and sociability. Each busy spread introduces an aspect of the ant's life cycle and its work in tunneling and maintaining the colony. Brief text is accompanied by an informative array of captioned watercolor sketches. Cartoon figures of ants in human guise are liberally sprinkled among the more factual drawings. As in the author's other "life and times" volumes (apples, honeybees, peanuts), the deftly done layout has the appearance of the kind of homely miscellany often appealing to children while offering a well-organized overview of the subject. A further reading list of adult and children's books appears in small print on the verso of the title page where it will hardly be noticed. An absorbing compendium. Margaret Bush, Simmons College, Boston Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.