The Big Book of Beasts (Big Book)

by Yuval Zommer (Author)

The Big Book of Beasts (Big Book)
Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
Series: Big Book

In The Big Book of Beasts Yuval Zommer's wonderful illustrations bring to whimsical life some of the grizzliest, hairiest, bravest, wiliest, and most fearsome beasts in the animal kingdom. Brimming with interesting facts from beast consultant Barbara Taylor, this charming picture book is a beautiful way for parents to introduce young children to the animal world--and for older children to learn by themselves. 

In the first pages children learn that beasts are wild animals that can't be tamed and that they all defend themselves in different ways. As the book continues young readers meet specific beasts, including armadillos, bears, tigers, and the Tasmanian devil. The Big Book of Beasts also approaches the world of beasts thematically, looking at mythical beasts, Ice Age beasts, beasts on your street, and how to save beasts in danger of extinction.

The funny and conversational text, amazing facts, and glorious and quirky pictures will draw in young children over and over again.

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$19.95

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Publishers Weekly

Zommer follows The Big Book of Bugs with a book that focuses on wild mammals, referred to throughout (somewhat oddly) as beasts: "Some mammals are friendly and some are beastly! Beasts are deadly, cunning and most importantly, wild!" Questions introduce each spread, which discuss specific mammals, including tigers, wolves, and bats (as well as less "beastly" specimens like beavers and sloths), and more general topics, such as animal footprints, endangered creatures, and animals in urban habitats ("In South Africa lots of baboon habitats have been destroyed. Sometimes a baboon must come into town to find food and shelter"). Zommer illustrates with playful detail in scenes that have a folk-art flair, but this is more a casual introduction to mammal tidbits than an in-depth resource. Ages 4-up. (Apr.)

Copyright 2017 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3--By no means a comprehensive collection of all things beastly, this book provides an overview of some of the more popular creatures, from baboons and wolves to tigers and bears. (The -big- from the title refers to the large trim size.) The work is split up into just a few sections: -Beastly Families- (animal family tree), -Claws and Jaws- (protection and defense), and -Howls, Growls, and Smells- (communication). Also included is a section on backyard beasts (e.g., black bears and possums). An interactive -Can You Find?- game involving paw prints adds a bit of fun (answers are offered in the back). The illustrations are vibrant and whimsical, and the animals' facial expressions are bound to elicit laughs. VERDICT A cute addition for libraries in search of a browsable compendium or for fans of Zommer.--Kristin Anderson, Bloomingdale Public Library, IL Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

An overview of some of the more popular creatures... The illustrations are vibrant and whimsical, and the animals' facial expressions are bound to elicit laughs.
Classification
-
ISBN-13
9780500651063
Lexile Measure
-
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Thames & Hudson
Publication date
April 18, 2017
Series
Big Book
BISAC categories
JNF003000 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | General
Library of Congress categories
Animals
Trivia and miscellanea

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