'The best books, reviewed with insight and charm, but without compromise.'
- author Jackie French

Wednesday 24 August 2016

Review: The Amazing Animal Adventure

I squeaked when I slid this book from its packaging. Yes. Squeaked. The cover illustration was instantly enchanting--those adorably cute (not not twee) animals eyeing me from their natural habitat. It was enough to stop me in my tracks, and send me to kitchen to flick on the kettle, and plump the cushions on the couch.

What a joyful book. Subtitled An Around-The-World Spotting Expedition, it truly feels like you're donning your Biggles cap, jumping in a Sopwith Camel and soaring into the sky on a nature world tour when you open the pages of this book.

Along the way, young readers are encouraged (as they so love to do!) to seek and find certain animals and happenings in the busy, beautifully-rendered scenes. We're taken to the Amazon Rainforest, the Russian Taiga, Japanese hot springs (those monkeys!!), the Great Barrier Reef, a mangrove forest, Galapagos islands, an Antarctic ice shelf, and so much more.
And each and every landing is an absolute delight. Bug-eyed creatures romp, fly, paddle and hide in truly beautiful scenes, featuring underwater and underground glimpses and other creative perspectives. The Great Barrier Reef is an eye-pop of colour and detail, and each and every spread has been so thoughtfully coloured and rendered--a truly uplifting combination of age-appropriate cute and striking and sophisticated artistic rendering.

The back of the book shows kids where they can find each of the animals hidden in the original spreads. It also features Animal and Habitat World Records, Ecosystems, Classification, Endangered or Extinct Animals, and an Index.

A glorious creation that has the capacity to both entertain and enchant, this is what book making is all about.

Title: The Amazing Animal Adventure--An Around-The-World Spotting Expedition
Author/Illustrator: Brendan Kearney
Publisher: Laurence King, $39.95
Publication Date: 23 August 2016
Format: Hard cover, large format
ISBN: 9781780678450
For ages: 5+
Type: Picture Book, Seek-and-Find