Review by Booklist Review
A boy and his friend take an imaginary journey to the six different habitats of the world. Witnessing 60 different species, the boys explore critters on a farm (goats, pigs, cows), ocean and island animals (Atlantic sailfish, blue whale, pelican), jungle animals (macaw, crocodile, and iguana), desert and grassland animals (elephant, egret, giraffe), woodland animals (brown bear, gray wolf, red fox), and animals at home (mouse, goldfish, spiders). Opening with a warning to children never to touch or play with wild animals without adult permission, Thomas' playful debut takes readers into a world chock-full of fun facts, lively illustrations, and chuckle-worthy imaginative scenes, such as riding in a pelican's throat pouch, galloping astride a leopard, and tumbling about in the waterspout of a blue whale. Thomas' first-person text reads a bit like a journal, with featured species identified in bold capital letters, and running commentary sprinkled liberally throughout each page. Though the actual information is slight, the cartoonish watercolor illustrations and jovial exploratory atmosphere will please little ones who love animals.--Lock, Anita Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2-This catalogue of animal species from around the world is framed by the explorations of two young boys. ("I traveled the world through jungles, across oceans, in the woods, on safari, and on farms.") Animals in the scrapbook are grouped by habitat or region and can be referenced individually in the handy index. Each animal is displayed in an illustration (sometimes including the boys interacting with it) and described in a couple of sentences. The sketchlike artwork is endearing and clever, drawn with pen and enhanced with rich watercolors. The two boys and the animals have a cartoonish quality (they all have the same stylized eyes), but all representations share a solid measure of faithfulness to their subjects. All creatures are recognizable for what they are, though some of their comical facial expressions may elicit giggles. The couple sentences of text per animal will hopefully pique readers' curiosity enough to inspire further research. Humorous details about the creatures on the boys' journey are sometimes included ("This frog is called Josephine."). The mix of general and specific information is sometimes unpredictable; Josephine is just a "frog," but the neighborhood bird is a "great tit." VERDICT Highly attractive for browsing or for reading in chunks. The lightly humorous visuals will make this a standout among illustrated animal guides.-Sara White, Seminole County Public Library, Casselberry, FL © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
To meet the animals who live there, a young boy travels to different habitats around the world, including his own backyard. This appealing imaginary adventure is presented as a scrapbook written and drawn by the narrator, depicted here with short curly black hair and (inconsistently) brown skin, usually a shade darker than that of his human companions. From a European farm to the ocean and its shores, the jungle, deserts, and grasslands, woodlands, and in and around his home, the boy befriends animal inhabitants. (Opposite the title page, a note warns children to "NEVER approach or try to touch an animal in the wild unless a grown-up has said it's safe.") Following the title-page spread, an introduction by the young explorer, and the table of contents, theres a double-page map of inhabited continents showing the locations of habitats described and some of the animals. The chapters that follow briefly introduce each habitat and animal. A few interesting facts about each of the 60 creatures are included in slightly smaller text. The voice and informational choices are entirely those of a small boy, but the watercolor-and-ink illustrations are clearly done by a talented caricaturist with a cheerful sense of humor. As is too often the case with European imports, no sources are given for the information. A pleasant if somewhat misleading invitation for armchair and lap-sitting travelers. (index) (Informational picture book. 5-9) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
