Bone Collection: Animals

Beneath skin and fur is an intricate network of bones, connected by the vital backbone, explains this guide to vertebrates. Using an illustrated model of a particular animal’s skeleton as a reference point, Colson introduces other species that possess shared physical, biological, and behavioral characteristics, pointing to the ways in which the skeletal system enables animals to function in the wild—whether examining the structure of a bird’s wing or the bones in a whale’s tail. Wildlife photographs enliven the spreads, and sidebars provide immersive facts about different species (“A sloth’s brown fur has a green tinge to it. This is caused by algae growing in the fur”). An arresting amalgamation of images and insights lets readers gaze just beneath the surface of animal behavior. Ages 8–12. (Sept.)