Jim Arnosky

All is peaceful in a desert canyon in this lovely picture book for younger children, as the wren makes her nest in a cactus, a cottontail hare hops about and a covey of quail move quietly through the prickly pears. All that changes with the advent of four young coyotes, intent on having fun and frightening the other residents of Cactus Canyon. It is only when this coyote raid encounters a rattlesnake that they realize they aren't the scariest creatures around...

Talented and prolific author/illustrator Jim Arnosky has created many wonderful works of natural history for children, from informational books like those in his All About series, to more fanciful titles such as those about Crinkleroot, that grandfatherly guide to the wild who was raised by bees. He has also created a number of engaging picture books for younger children, featuring simple stories about animals in the wild. Coyote Raid in Cactus Canyon is an example of this latter type, pairing a brief but engaging text with beautiful artwork depicting the animals being described. Recommended as an introduction for younger children—I would say between four and seven years old—to the kind of desert ecosystems one would find in the American southwest.… (altro)

The immensely talented author/illustrator Jim Arnosky, known for his many wonderful works of natural history for children, turns in this picture book to the topic of animal tracks, and how to recognize them. He devotes sections to deer family tracks, tracks of other hoofed animals, bear tracks, small animal tracks, feline tracks, canine tracks, and reptile and bird tracks. A general discussion of these tracks is followed by pages showing life-sized reproductions, some of them requiring fold-out pages...

The forty-sixth book I have read from this prolific creator, Wild Tracks!: A Guide to Nature's Footprints is immensely engaging, pairing an informative text with lovely artwork. I appreciated the life-sized reproductions of each track discussed, and think the fold-out pages (there are four) will make the reading process more entertaining for younger readers. This book was referenced in the back matter of Mia Posada's excellent Who Was Here?: Discovering Wild Animal Tracks, and I can definitely see why, as it is both educational and fun. Readers should be aware that it is focused on North American animals, something that should have been mentioned in the book's description, and was that. Leaving aside that critique, provided one is aware of this focus, it is one I would heartily recommend to all young animal and nature lovers.… (altro)

Prolific children's author and artist Jim Arnosky, known for his many works of natural history for young people, describes the way various species of animal hide in plain sight in this lovely picture book. Woodcocks with patterns and colors that blend in with dry leaves; wary deer who lie down in summer grass and hide amongst winter trees; snowshoes hares, arctic foxes, long-tailed weasels and snowy owls who blend in with snow; screech owls and moths who blend in with tree bark—these and other animals are profiled here...

Published in 1995, I See Animals Hiding is the forty-fifth book I have read from Arnosky, which is surely a testament to the high regard in which I hold his work! As with so many of his other titles, it paired an informative and engaging narrative with beautiful watercolor artwork. The theme here, of animals who hide themselves in their natural environments, is well captured in both text and illustration. It is further augmented by a search-and-find element, as the book instructs the readers to find various hidden animals in the artwork. Recommended to young animal lovers, and to fellow Jim Arnosky fans.… (altro)