The Wild World Handbook: Creatures by Andrea Debbink, illustrated by Asia Orlando

 I really enjoyed the first Wild World Handbook, focusing on habitats, and several staff and patrons I shared it with liked it as well. So I broke my usual rule of "no sequels" to take a look at the second title, focusing on animals.

This follows a similar format as the first book, with a wide array of creatures, short biographies, hands-on activities, and practical suggestions. The book is divided into a chapter each on insects, birds, reptiles and amphibians, land animals, ocean creatures, freshwater life, and city wildlife.

Each chapter includes two biographies, as wide-ranging as medieval scholar Maria Sibylla Merian and contemporary water protector Autumn Peltier, naturalist and illustrator Beatrix Potter and contemporary wildlife advocate George Melendez Wright. Each biography gives a brief overview of the person's life and importance to ecology and wildlife. The chapters also include a true story about an animal, like famous pigeon Cher Ami or Alex the parrot and a narrative of a "natural wonder" which include the story of the discovery of monarch migration, the lifespan of reptiles, or how freshwater creatures live through the winter.

The "people helping animals" sections talk about conservation efforts, in the past and present, and then there are the hands-on portions. These include suggestions for field trips from watching birds to tracking animals, encouraging readers to observe nature where they are and be respectful and patient when visiting animals' habitats, whether it be in the city or in the wilderness. There are craft projects like making a toad home, writing a story, or crocheting a bird's nest, and finally the "Stewardship" section. This is where I hold my breath, wondering if the author could recreate the really solid advice in the first book; relevant to kids, not guilt-inducing, practical, and science-based. And she did! Kids are given ideas for projects well within their scope, ways to improve their local neighborhoods and communities that include things like picking up trash and advocating for wildlife habitats, and a broader, global viewpoint directing them to organizations doing conservation work across the globe. I am very appreciate of Debbink's truly diverse viewpoint, recognizing that kids don't always have the support, agency, or means to "make a difference" and her encouragement to them to start where they are and improve their local communities in small ways.

Verdict: This is a great title for browsing or as a starting point for discussion in a classroom or at home. Kids who love science, animals, and history will be drawn in and those who don't will be intrigued by the hands-on projects and field trip suggestions. Recommended.

ISBN: 9781683692683; Published November 2021 by Quirk Books; Purchased for the library; Review copy provided by the publisher