Blue Planet

Visitors to the nation's science museums are often treated to the extraordinary films created for the gigantic IMAX film technology, which is designed for ``screens up to eight stories high and eighty feet wide.'' These oversized companion books, perhaps best suited for sale in the shops in museums showing these features, are a hodgepodge of admittedly compelling ``pure science'' (contained mostly in shaded sidebars), coupled with texts that, because they are film-script based, sometimes seem disjointed and lacking in a unifying narrative line. The most striking features of these handsomely designed and packaged volumes are their attractive, open pages featuring often spectacular color photos selected from the films. Blue Planet concentrates on the earth's ecosystems and devotes particular attention to its waters and the fast-disappearing tropical rain forests. To the Limit focuses on the human body and the uncommon levels of skill and endurance required by such high-risk sports as mountain-climbing and downhill racing, and explores the special demands on the body imposed by classical ballet and marathon running. Best for browsing, these involving works should appeal particularly to scientifically minded readers. Ages 8-up. (Nov.)