Animal Planet Atlas of Animals

Gr 2–5—With beautiful full-color photos and illustrations, clever visual representations of concepts like the evolution of life on earth, and balanced use of white space, this eye-pleasing atlas will give young animal lovers plenty to marvel over. Each continent-specific section (poles and oceans also get their own chapter) opens with an overview page featuring a topographical map and a visual index of subregions. As the focus moves to subregions, a handful of animal species from that area are highlighted, with informative captions sharing interesting facts. "In Focus" boxes feature more detailed information about a single animal, while "In Danger" boxes highlight endangered species and "Fit for Life" boxes discuss animal adaptations. A glossary and index follow the text, but children will likely browse this book rather than use it for reports, as the selection of animals is far from comprehensive, and even those creatures highlighted receive only a sentence or two in description.—Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, Carroll County Public Library, MD