An Anthology of Intriguing Animals by Ben Hoare - Illustrated by Daniel Long, Angela Rizza, Daniela Terrazzini

This mini encyclopedia of animals is a nonfiction book but it was too gorgeous to pass on. More than a hundred animals are featured, ranging from all six groups: mammals, fish, reptiles, birds, amphibians and invertebrates. Each animal is displayed in a spread with a paragraph or two of descriptions accompanied by a close-up photograph and smaller illustration. Did you know that king cobras don't hiss but growl like dogs do? Or that a newborn koala is the size of a jelly bean? This is some of the information presented and while short, the text is fun to read and focuses on the most interesting facts. Ben Hoare keeps readers engaged with his light and humorous writing, holding interest in this thick book until the last page.

The animal illustrations by Daniel Long are vector based graphics. It's clean crisp look juxtapose nicely with the accompanying photographs and visually aids in the guide where all the animals are displayed together. Angela Rizza's delicate illustrations of foliage and patterns decorate the end pages and background with quiet charm, adding elegance and softening the overall look. Daniela Terrazzini illustrates the covers with ornate images consisting of animal shapes and foliage. The image is stamped in gold on a teal background; the result is striking. This technique is carried along to the spine and often neglected back cover which includes a different illustration. To match the cover, the edges are gilded in gold. There are two different covers available for this book. The image on the left is US and Canada versions. The image on the right is for the UK version-I prefer this one.

Extras in the back include an illustration showing how the animals are related to one another, a glossary and a handy visual guide. Use the guide to search for a favourite animal or simply open the book to any page to be pleasantly surprised. A ribbon marker is included. This is essentially a reference book for children but can also be a coffee table book. Recommended for ages 7+.

Amazon
DK Children 2018
Hardcover 224p
8.8" x 11.2"