Amazing animals of Australia's national parks by Gina M Newton

NLA, 2016. ISBN 9780642278883
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. National parks (Australia). Animals. Habitat. With a stunning array of photographs, easy to use maps and fact files, every page is a treat and will be a sort after reference and non fiction read for middle school people.
Divided into Woodlands, Arid lands, Forests, Mountains, Wetlands and Coasts, the diversity of Australian animals is shown. Contents pages at the start of the book direct readers to the various pages of animals, while the index at the back will be well used. Included with the index is a good glossary of terms, several pages of references and an acknowledgement of the source of the photographs.
Each section is further divided into sub headings, Birds, Monotremes, Placental animals, Fish and Reptiles, for example. One section which interested me is the Arid Lands. In this can be found several pages of information about arid lands and photos which will pinpoint how they look for the younger reader. The following pages show a range of reptiles: Thorny Devil, Gecko, Perentie and Shingleback, followed by a Brown Snake, Water Holding frog, several birds and animals like the Bilby, Red Kangaroo and Chokka. Each page has a large picture of the animal, a small map pointing out where it lives, a fast fact box with information about its size and weight, and a Question/answer style of presentation to give the reader facts about that animal. All adds up to an inviting and detailed examination of the animal pictured, and will intrigue and inform the readers.
On each page is the scientific name of the animals, a traffic light telling the reader about the conservation status of the animal, along with a code which indicates which habitat it lives in, and its national park. It is well worth perusing the guide pages (8 and 9) which give readers a hand to interpreting the pages of information.
Fran Knight