The Big Book of Beasts

Zommer follows The Big Book of Bugs with a book that focuses on wild mammals, referred to throughout (somewhat oddly) as beasts: “Some mammals are friendly and some are beastly! Beasts are deadly, cunning and most importantly, wild!” Questions introduce each spread, which discuss specific mammals, including tigers, wolves, and bats (as well as less “beastly” specimens like beavers and sloths), and more general topics, such as animal footprints, endangered creatures, and animals in urban habitats (“In South Africa lots of baboon habitats have been destroyed. Sometimes a baboon must come into town to find food and shelter”). Zommer illustrates with playful detail in scenes that have a folk-art flair, but this is more a casual introduction to mammal tidbits than an in-depth resource. Ages 4–up. (Apr.)