African Animals
The continent of Africa is home to an amazing variety of wildlife. From giraffes to elephants, meerkats to lions--youngsters can learn how each species is able to adapt to diverse environments ranging from vast grasslands to deep forests to arid deserts.
DO YOU KNOW? (answers below)
- What African animal is so tall it can see into a second-story window?
- What African animal lives in a group called a "pride"?
- What African animal looks like a bumpy log floating in the water?
- What African animal weighs as much as a truck?
- What African animal can drink as much as a bathtub of water--all at once?
(1.giraffe 2. lion 3. crocodile 4. elephant 5. camel)
African Animals will be my seventeenth book published by Morrow Junior Books and continues in the tradition of books about animal behavior but unlike the books of the baby zoo animal series it is written for younger children and is illustrated with pictures that I obtained through photo research from a variety of sources including my own collection. Photo research is a bit like being on a treasure hunt and as I searched for just the right photos to illustrate this book it brought back memories of my trip to Africa twenty-five years ago. /p>
- Learn how people are helping chimpanzees in Zambia at www.chimfunshi.org.za
Superb full-color photography, simple but intelligent language, and excellent organization make this a standout in the growing field of nonfiction for the very young. Almost two dozen African species, mostly mammals, are brought to life and placed in the context of their environs. A brief introduction to this lush continent, and a final note about extinction will get children (and the adults reading to them) thinking about their own place in the world. Animals are grouped by habitat (grasslands, forests, and deserts), and basic locator maps show the extent of each area on the continent. . . .Occasional questions provide a natural segue to open discussion. . . . This is a book that youngsters will want to return to again and again. Share it with story-time groups or suggest it for one-on-one reading."
"Prolific wildlife writer-photographer Arnold takes a lucid look at 20 African animals. arranged by habitat (grasslands, forests, and deserts), the book features color photographs of such wild beasts as zebras, warthogs, and gorillas. . . . They show close-ups of the crocodile's sharp teeth, the dark markings on the cheetah's nose, the python's scaly skin, and the leopard's rosette-shaped spots. Given the brevity and simplicity of the text, it is surprisingly informative. Basic characteristics are cited along with questions to the readers: "How would you like to sleep in a tree at night?" Well done."