Animals: A Visual Encyclopedia
This encyclopedia offers a thorough introduction to the animal kingdom for young readers, starting with a chapter discussing various animal behaviors, life cycles, and habitats. The book is arranged by the major groups of animals: mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates. Color coding along the edge of the page allows readers to quickly find their desired section.   Within each section, students are introduced to the key features of the groups, families, and species that follow. For example, the section on mammals begins with discussions on such topics as being born alive and having hair. Following the introduction are profiles of specific creatures with information about habitat, geographic location, size, life span, and conservation status. “Fact Files” highlight specific information. Young readers will especially enjoy the graphics that indicate the relative size of animals compared to the average human. Also appealing for young readers are the speech bubbles that appear in some of the larger photographs. For example, the bubble “I’m ready to go fishing!” accompanies the image of a chimpanzee, along with an explanation that chimps have the ability to make and use tools to fish for ants and termites.  The highlight of this book is certainly the stunning visual layout. The color photographs are vibrant and abundant. This engaging encyclopedia is certain to appeal to browsers and researchers alike and would be a welcome addition to any school and public library reference collection. Grades K-4. --Maren Ostergard