Safari
Grade 2-5-The book invites readers on an African safari to observe a variety of animals in their natural habitats. Each two-to-four-page section focuses on one or two animals including the elephant, leopard, wildebeest, and zebra. Bateman shares his experiences with and impressions of each creature in the wild. Additional information such as habitat, size, range, and food is provided in inset boxes. However, the real focus here and the most outstanding feature is the artwork. At least one full page per spread is devoted to Bateman's spectacular oil paintings that are photographic in detail and perfectly capture the essence and beauty of their subjects. These illustrations combined with the text create a sort of travel diary that clearly conveys the artist's love of wildlife. An endnote emphasizes the importance of conservation. Those seeking information for reports will need to look elsewhere, but for all others this is an eye-catching, entrancing journey.Arwen Marshall, New York Public LibraryCopyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.