National Geographic Encyclopedia of Animals

McGhee, Karen; Mc Kay Ph.D., George

ISBN 10: 0792259378 ISBN 13: 9780792259374

Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books, 2006

Synopsis

Get ready to take a walk on the wild side! National Geographic Children's Books' brand-new reference work provides families and children with everything they need to know about the animal kingdom.

You'll meet more than 1,000 animals as you explore the pages of National Geographic Encyclopedia of Animals. This comprehensive volume introduces the entire animal kingdom: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and all kinds of invertebrates, from sea squirts to worms and spiders.

Your tour of the animal kingdom will take you to every corner of the planet—from rugged mountain slopes to ocean depths and from steamy jungles to baking deserts and icy polar regions.

First, you'll find out just what an animal is, where animals live, how they behave, and why some are endangered. Then the parade of animals begins, each group in its own color-coded section. A lively introductory essay pointing out each group's distinguishing features is followed by page after page of stunning illustrations, engaging text, fun facts, maps, and more about the amazing range of animals within each group. The vibrant illustrations seem to crawl, chatter, screech, growl, and jump off every page. There's also a glossary to help with all the new terms you'll be learning, and a comprehensive index makes it easy to find just the animal you need for that report you're writing or just to satisfy your curiosity.

You'll find: More than 1,000 species vividly illustrated Fascinating facts at your fingertips Range maps for all major groups of animals Cross-sections and cutaways Photo essays that show animals in their habitats The latest conservation data Features on scientific discoveries and breakthroughs Scientific and common names for all animals Size listings for all illustrated animals Contents prepared under the direction of an international authority on animal sciences Comprehensive glossary and index

The animal kingdom is the greatest show on Earth, and National Geographic Encyclopedia of Animals puts it all at your fingertips.

About this title

About the Author

Karen McGhee is a science writer and journalist with a background in the biological sciences. With a preference for reporting from the field, she has had first-hand experience covering topics as diverse as the behavior of great white sharks and conservation efforts to save some of the world's rarest birds.

George McKay is an internationally recognized authority in the zoological sciences. He is an independent consultant in conservation biology at Macquarie University, in Sydney, Australia.

From Booklist

With more than 1.5 million species, the animal kingdom is an endless source of fascination, and this beautifully detailed animal encyclopedia, though intended for ages eight and up, is sure to fascinate and enlighten readers of all ages. Color illustrations and photographs of more than 1,000 species dominate the pages. Providing authoritative, up-to-date information on everything from life cycle and survival strategies of major animal groups to fast facts on specific species, this reference also boasts distribution maps and conservation information for many animal groups.

Coverage begins with a concise introduction to the animal world, including information on classification, habitats, and a brief mention of conservation and the loss of species. The book then divides into six color-coded chapters, each comprising one of the major animal groups. The first five chapters are devoted to vertebrates and the last to invertebrates. Three to five color photographs adorn the double-page introduction to each chapter. Introductory text summarizes distinctive characteristics and behaviors unique to each group, including evolution, reproduction, differences between young and adult, and communication. Labeled diagrams provide information on particular aspects, such as different types of bird feathers.

After the introduction, each chapter is organized by main animal groups and, in some cases, subgroups. Classification data are provided as well as additional information on the physical characteristics, life cycle, and other features. The illustrations of species are labeled with common and scientific names, and many also include icons indicating conservation status.

Though not comprehensive, the glossary of almost 150 words is a nice feature. The nicely organized section on animal sizes lists each species shown in the book along with its largest normal size (length, height, width, or wingspan, depending on the animal group). The book concludes with an index of animals and general concepts.

This appealing and reasonably priced resource is recommended for school and public libraries. Heather Heyduk
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Edition details

• Publisher: National Geographic Children's Books
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0792259378
• ISBN 13: 9780792259374
• Binding: Library Binding
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 192