Christian Book Notes

Walters, Martin and Jinny Johnson.  The World of Animals: Fascinating Facts about the World of Animals.  Green Forest, Master Books, 2011.  256 pp.  $24.99.  Purchase at Amazon for less.

Introduction

The website sums up this resource well:

The World of Animals investigates and describes the anatomy, behavior, and habitats of over 1,000 animals. From microscopic worms and insects to reptiles, birds, and mammals, this book will provide children with an insight into the incredible range of life in God’s wonderful world. This comprehensive but easy-to-use book boasts a wide range of features to help bring its readers face-to-face with the science and beauty of the living world.

Summary

The best way to summarize this resource is to allow you to see it for yourself.  You can see a selection of fifteen pages here.  Trust me, the colorful pages will speak for themselves.  As for a summary, you have seven basic sections throughout the book beginning with simple animals and moving to fish, amphibians, birds and finally mammals.

Each basic section has a plethora of different animals therein.  For example, the “simple animals” include sponges, jellyfish, sea anemones (think Finding Nemo) and Corals.  Fish include gars, herrings, salmon, catfish, tuna, and marlins.  Throughout the pages, you will find “world watch” boxes that offer information about a particular animal around the world.  Also, there are what I call “did you know” boxes that give tidbit trivia type information.

Review

This book is as interesting as it is colorful.  While I know it is supposed to be for students, I could not help but flip through it over and over again.  There is so much information on each page that this will be one of those resources that you will learn something new every time you open it.

The organization of the book is well done.  All one needs to do is look at the contents page (two facing pages) to see quickly what is in the book and where it is located.  Once you turn to that page you are greeted with more information than you think does exist about the animal.

Recommendation

I know there is at least a second book in this “World of” series, World of Science.  One can only hope that this is just the tip of the iceberg.  If your children enjoy biology or books on animals at all, then The World of Animals is a must own.  If you are a homeschooling parent, you will want to get a copy of this for your reference as well as for your children.  It is, after all, co-published by My Father’s World.