The Animal Book: A Collection of the Fastest, Fiercest, Toughest, Cleverest, Shyest--And Most Surprising--Animals on Earth

Jenkins compiles more than 300 animals, using a loosely encyclopedic format with sections covering topics like "Animal Extremes," "Predators," and "Animal Senses." Jenkins's always skillful use of cut- and torn-paper animal artwork appears throughout (several images comes from his earlier books), while factually detailed captions describe each subject, resulting in a vibrant juxtaposition of science and art. Fascinating creatures and characteristics abound: "Most deep-sea creatures cannot see red light. But the spotlight loosejaw can detect it, and it is the bizarre fish's secret weapon." A colossal squid's eye (shown actual size) fills an entire spread, and Jenkins closes out the book with sections on the history of life on earth, additional animal facts, and a discussion of how he goes about creating books. In showcasing the riches and peculiarities of the natural world, Jenkins offers plenty to seize (and satisfy) readers' curiosities. Ages 6-10. (Oct.)

Copyright 2013 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

Gr 2-6--Jenkins draws from his earlier books to craft this richly detailed work with handsome cut- and torn-paper illustrations. Numerous animal facts are organized into seven topical chapters. A few extinct animals are included. Chapters offer information about animal families, senses, predators, defenses, and extremes, and about life from an evolutionary perspective. Material within each chapter is presented in segments that average two pages in length and consist of a descriptive paragraph, several colorful illustrations that vary in size, and detailed captions. Each chapter concludes with a related chart or graph. Some text in the "Timeline of animal life" is lost in the book's gutter, and the "How many eyes do animals have?" chart notes that wasps have five eyes but the corresponding illustration only shows four. Jenkins's artwork is recognizable from earlier works; for example, the giant squid eye and Siberian tiger spreads found in Actual Size (Houghton Harcourt, 2004) are replicated here. A lengthy alphabetically arranged, appended section includes even more animal details paired with tiny artwork. The book has a useful table of contents. Tucked between the glossary and bibliography, which includes materials published between 1951 and 2010, is a welcome section on Jenkins's bookmaking process. The closing page showcases the works from which material included here has been taken. With so much to look at, this attractive browsing book will fascinate children thirsty for animals facts. Students doing reports on a specific animal will need to consult other resources.--Lynn Vanca, Freelance Librarian, Akron, OH

Copyright 2013 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

"Building on years of experience in selecting animal facts and creating arresting illustrations, Jenkins surpasses his previous work with an amazing album characterized by clear organization, realistic images and carefully chosen examples. . . . This is a must-purchase for animal-loving families and most libraries."
—Kirkus, starred review

"This is a beautiful book that belongs in most collections; it will engage browsers for hours, and the many textual features make it an excellent choice for classroom curricula."
—Booklist, starred review

"With so much to look at, this attractive browsing book will fascinate children thirsty for animal facts."
—School Library Journal

"In showcasing the riches and peculiarities of the natural world, Jenkins offers plenty to seize (and satisfy) readers' curiosities."
—Publishers Weekly, starred review

"This will be an ideal holiday gift for kids who love animals or who love Steve Jenkins books—and that amounts to a lot of kids."
—Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Charts and graphs throughout are as intriguing as the animals themselves; an index of the featured animals is pretty much brilliant, including not just page numbers but size, habitat, and diet."
—The Horn Book Magazine, starred review