This book tackles deadly and dangerous animals. Not just big predators like sharks and bears, but smaller bugs and other animals. The book begins with a chart of the animals that will be covered and their danger factors, then moves on to more details. There are big cats, dogs and wolves, sharks, crocodiles, a variety of undersea creatures, winged predators, snakes, and a selection of bugs and insects. Some are deadly to humans, some only to other animals. The final chapters discuss how humans live - or die - with deadly predators, from milking snakes of their venom to the destruction of sharks worldwide. The book also includes an index and glossary.
Davies' writing style in this book is a perfect match for Neal Layton's gory caricatures. The book talks honestly but in a humorous way about the dangers of these animals and how, despite their deadly abilities, they are often at risk from humans or misunderstood. There are pictures of a crocodile ripping apart a zebra, exploding ants, shocking electric eels, and more.
Verdict: This will appeal both to kids who like weird and gross facts and to those who like serious nonfiction. While my preference is for photographs in nonfiction, the pictures in this book do suit the writing style and will attract kids who want something that looks funny as well as informative.
3 comments:
We have this one in our library, and it's super appealing to kids. The odd size and shape make it a stand-out, and if I'm remembering correctly, there are chunks of text in various places across the pages, so kids can dip in, read the parts they want to, and move on.
Thanks for the review!
What? No deadly squirrels? My dog is sure they are all out to kill me. I'll have to take a look at this one.
Hi Jennifer! Oh, I bet kids love this book! Fun facts plus "gory caricatures" -- how can you beat that?!
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