A Walk on the Wild Side: Filled with facts and over 60 creatures

What a fun way to introduce a variety of different creatures to younger children. The young narrator gives us a 'snapshot' of each of the animals, fish and insects he has come across in his travels; these are mapped on an atlas at the front of the book, according to the different habitats - jungle, woodland, grassland etc. The snapshot of each creature includes a lively, painted illustration together with a couple of short facts about that creature and its habitat. So for example, crocodiles open their mouths to cool down rather than sweat; adult tigers can grow to three metres long. The style is informal and chatty and the facts are chosen to pique the interest of a child, with the narrator making frequent appearances in the drawings with the creature being described. A lovely book to have in the library for children to browse, as well as being full of useful facts to demonstrate how 'fact boxes' needn't be dull! On the final pages the reader is asked, 'Where do YOU want to go,' so the book can also be used to encourage children to create their own travel adventure. A handy index at the back will introduce them to using non-fiction texts and how to looking up the animals they want to see. 80 pages / Ages 6+ / Reviewed by Alyson Dove.

Suggested Reading Age 5+