F: How can children resist learning about animals with names like boodies, potoroos, dibblers, noolbengers, and quolls? Ned Bryson, a PhD biologist, makes these and other fascinating creatures come alive in his new book, Marsupials, by Universal Press. Bryson's superb photos alone are worth the $20 cover price, and his encyclopedic knowledge makes this volume a real bargain. Kids will love these small furry animals who have pouches and large, luminous eyes. And they'll get a kick out of some of the offbeat details that Bryson includes. Did you know, for example, that mother koalas make a special kind of poop, called pap, that the joeys eat while they are weaning? There is much here for everyone, including an afterward in which Bryson explains how he rigged his cameras with special infrared lights to photograph the mostly nocturnal marsupials. Though clearly an educated man, Bryson's breezy writing style presents complex ideas in an easy-to-read, kid-friendly manner. This would make a great Christmas or birthday gift for young curious minds.