Unusual Creatures

Starred review from October 8, 2012
Hugely entertaining and just as informative, this guide to “unusual creatures” (defined by Hearst as an animal “that makes you stop and say, ‘Whoa, dude! What’s up with that?’ ”) proves that truth can be stranger than fiction. Striking an informal and sometimes ironic tone, Hearst introduces species like the echidna, flying snake, and narwhal, describing their physical characteristics, habitats, and behaviors, with tidbits, quizzes, and even poems neatly tucked into the crisp, guidebook-like aesthetic. Each animal appears in a matte
illustration that combines naturalistic features with subtle hints of personality. Hearst often has great fun at his subjects’ expense (“blobfish: not as cute as the aye-aye,” reads a caption next to the forlorn-looking psychrolutes marcidus) while delivering fascinating insights into what makes each of these animals extraordinary. Ages 8–12.

September 1, 2012
Hearst brings us 50 examples of Mother Nature in all her strange pageantry. Meet the aye-aye, a primate from Madagascar that--unfortunately, and thank goodness it is nocturnal--is considered by some of the citizenry to be an evil omen, which is a greased chute to the endangered-species list if there ever was one. Meet the barking spider and the blobfish, the slow loris, the pea frog and the pink fairy armadillo. Each creature comes with a distribution map, line drawings in washed colors, an array of scientific goodies (Latin names, figures, behavioral attributes) and color commentary from Hearst, sometimes in verse and with moments of sheer goofery, as in these two true-or-false zingers: "The basilisk in Greek mythology...can turn a man to stone with its gaze. / The Jesus Christ lizard has similar abilities, but its predators turn into motorized Christmas lawn ornaments." Yet the text and artwork have achieved something very valuable: One can only marvel at these creatures--the Chinese giant salamander and the hagfish ("the only living animal to have a skull but no spine")--and, as a company of oddballs, find something endearing in even the flying snake, which is a big step toward a greater protective urge for the planet. Not cute curios, but the seriously weird, which for some--hopefully many--will make the animals that much more appealing. (Nonfiction. 8-12)

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December 1, 2012

Gr 4-7-Readers are introduced to a passel of near-alien life-forms from a wide diversity of habitats. There's the hammer-headed bat (Africa), whose noise is not a high-pitched squeak but a resonant HONK! as loud as a car horn. The giant Gippsland earthworm (Australia), has a 10-foot body almost as thick as a garden hose. And the Yeti crab (South Pacific), a blind, deep-sea dweller with long, thin yellow hairs covering each of its legs. And they are just for starters. In alphabetical order, these 50 unusual creatures trundle/swim/fly/crawl through the pages, with illustrations, global distribution maps, and a scientific classification chart as guideposts. Pen-and-ink illustrations abound, washed over with soft pastel colors. Paragraphs of chatty, informative text provide data on habits and physical characteristics and are enriched with boxes of interesting facts. Also proffered are true/false Q&As, pop quizzes, and the like. The text is introduced by a clear section on scientific classification and is rounded out with hints on leaving a smaller "footprint" on our planet, a list of conservation organizations' websites, and some nifty information on the author and the illustrators. Personal in tone, chatty, and intriguing in subject matter-a sort of "Guinness Book of Animal Oddities"-this handsome volume is a fun-for-all informative compendium.-Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

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