Creature Features: Twenty-Five Animals Explain Why They Look the Way They Do

As always, artistry and zoology are intrinsic parts of Jenkins’s and Page’s latest animal-themed collaboration. Tongue-in-cheek questions (“Dear axolotl: Why do you have feathers growing out of your head?”) address the anatomy and physiology of 25 unusual-looking species. In response, the pink salamander explains, “Those aren’t feathers—they’re gills. They let me breathe underwater.” Other subjects include the mole rat (“Have you ever thought about getting braces?”), sun bear, and blobfish (“What on earth happened to you?”). Jenkins’s torn-paper creations emphasize the idea of interspecies dialogue—readers stare face to face with the animals, who happily divulge what makes them special. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)