Encyclopedia of Animals

October 1, 2019

Gr 1-4-This beautifully illustrated reference book uses taxonomic rank to break the animals down into categories. The book does not explicitly point out that animals are categorized by taxonomic rank, which seems like a missed opportunity for readers. Animals are first listed by class; each class is broken down further into order. Examples of each order of animal are listed, along with a color illustration and a brief description. After each description, their size, diet, and location are listed. The illustrations are noteworthy, but there are only three or four examples of each animal order given, so this encyclopedia is by no means exhaustive. For instance, under the "Bears" section, the only bears listed are sun bears, giant panda bears, and polar bears. This encyclopedia lacks a table of contents and an index, so it is not the best source for finding specific information quickly. VERDICT Howard and Vogel have created a stunning book for children curious about animals, but it's not the strongest candidate for a reference book.-Sara Jurek, Children's English Library, Stuttgart, Germany

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