Carly Allen-Fletcher

This colorful book introduces young readers to the broad classification system called taxonomy that scientists now use for the millions of forms of life on the planet. While there are estimated to be between 5 million to 100 million species of life on the planet, they have been sorted into six “kingdoms”: animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, protists, and archaea. Carly Allen-Fletcher, author as well as illustrator, explains them broadly and provides visual depictions of and facts about examples from each of them.

She highlights idiosyncratic members of each kingdom like Venus flytraps; baobab trees; and bioluminescent bacteria that provide animals with light to help them navigate the ocean. She also includes fun facts about them, such as with the microscopic kingdom of archaea that are called “extremophiles” because they survive in extreme conditions. These life forms are found in places other types of life can’t survive, like the super hot geysers in Yellowstone Park; deep in the ocean; in the Dead Sea; under the ice of the South Pole, and even, inside the human colon - extreme surroundings if there ever were any!

The 164 species she depicts in the book have numbers that correspond to an identifying list at the end of the book.

Discussion: The author doesn’t go into the scientific details of how the kingdoms are differentiated, nor does she write about viruses: are they living? Not living? To which domain do viruses belong? A tricky question! Nor does she mention “zooids” (or hive beings). She doesn’t bring up the genetic component of differences at all. But the book is, after all, meant for young readers beginning at age seven, and will surely inspire some of them to seek out more information.

In fact, she promises that “Our world is full of wonders, and there is so much left to discover.”

I can’t imagine kids reading this book without wanting to pursue all different avenues of inquiry!

The bright colors of the double-page spreads are detailed and engaging, and will potentially occupy readers for happy hours, especially as they chase down more information about her “teasers”: Resurrection plants hibernate! Seaweeds are not plants but protists! The yeast used for baking bread is actually a fungus! Tell me more!

Evaluation: What a gorgeous introduction to the rich panoply of life forms on our planet. Parents and teachers can expect to field a lot of requests for follow-up information from readers.… (altro)

This is a really interesting and unique animal book. The opening spread, showing a colorful earth against a dramatic black background, explains that antipodes are the opposite sides of the earth. Then the book jumps into various antipodes. The top half of the spread is divided from the bottom half by the text. On the left side of the page is the text that does with the top, then you turn the book upside-down to read the bottom-half.

Antipodes included are the North and South poles; the Okavango Delta in Botswana and Big Island of Hawaii; Desert National Park in India and Easter Island; Palembang, Indonesia and La Jagua, Huila, Colombia; Kaoh Nheaek, Cambodia and Machu Picchu, Peru; Lake Baikal, Siberia, and Monte Sarmiento, Chile; Xi'an, China and Santiago, Chile; Hong Kong and La Quiaca, Argentina; Whangarei, New Zealand and Tangier, Morocco; Yasawa, Fiji and Timbuktu, Mali; then readers arrive back at the North and South poles.

The final two spreads explain more about antipodes and the book, including showing how the light changes slightly in each image, how the solar system works, and the angle of the earth. A final spread encourages readers to find their own antipode, although it's probably in the ocean! The back endpapers are covered with sketches of the many different animals included. The art is glowing with color, almost as if each place is set in the heat of the desert or shimmering glow of the Northern lights. Some places contrast wet, dense jungles with arid deserts, high-rise cities with empty tundra, while others are very similar.

Verdict: A fascinating new way to look at habitats around the world as well as an introduction to earth science and the solar system. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781939547491; Published September 2018 by Creston; Borrowed from another library in my consortium… (altro)

A beautiful bedtime story that introduces babies and toddlers to animals that live in the sea. There is very little text, telling the animals good night, but what is there is simple and flows well. The illustrations are what makes this book. They are large, colourful and vibrant. They contain other animals than those mentioned in the text. The back of the book has a page with all the animals illustrated and their names so you can go back and find them all. A great addition to a family library or a pre-school/kindergarten classroom. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.… (altro)