Amazing animals: 100+ creatures that will boggle your mind by Sabrina Weiss & Paul Daviz

The popularity of animal non-fiction books for children will be further enhanced by this new release, Amazing Animals: 100+ Creatures That Will Boggle Your Mind. This is the fourth book in this factual series following on from Amazing Islands, Amazing Rivers and Amazing Treasures. The attractive cover with its polar animals’ illustration and silver foil title will draw readers to it immediately. The contents page is clearly presented, set in a beautiful underwater scene with an acknowledgement from the author. Each topic is set out on a colourful double page spread with stunning illustrations and segments of information. The title for each page and a further explanation is placed in a lightly coloured text box to enable the reader to immediately focus on the topic. The information shared is both interesting and entertaining. For example, the 2.5cm Boxer Crab found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean carries a pair of sea anemones, one in each claw, to ward off predators. And another fact, the African Cichlid carries their eggs in their mouths until they hatch and once hatched, they are released into the sea but can swim back in if there is danger. This book discusses creatures from all over the world - there is even a two-page spread devoted to Down Under and includes both Australian and New Zealand creatures. Maps are included throughout and in the centre of the book is a fold out double page world map showing the continents and each of the 100 creatures mentioned in the book. At the end of the book there is a glossary, index and sources page.

This book would make a wonderful gift as well as being a great addition for home, school and public libraries.

Themes: Animals, Habitats, Behaviours, Adaptations, Geography.

Kathryn Beilby