Animal atlas by Anna Claybourne

Ill. by Christina Wald. Bloomsbury, 2014. ISBN 9781408842188.
(Age: 7+) Recommended. Animals. In large format with plentiful illustrations and maps, this atlas will give younger primary readers a sound overview of the animals listed, their habitat and attributes. The first two double pages introduce the book to its readers. The first double page shows the colours used to represent each habitat, and over the page is a double page map of the world with those habitats shown clearly.
From then on the book is divided into seven continents, each section having a map and giving an overview of the animals that live there, with a picture and informative paragraph about six or so specific animals from that habitat over the next six double pages.
In this way the younger student will have an overview of the world of animals, and learn specific information about a few animals. Other fact boxes pop up to give extra tidbits, and at the end of the book is a two page glossary followed by a detailed index.
The double page on Europe for example, has a fascinating map, with three fact boxes to give the reader an insight into the range of Europe, then over the page is a range of animals that inhabit the area, from the mountains to the Mediterranean, over the page again takes the reader to the Scottish moorlands, then over the page again to the animals of the Arctic. All in all a useful book to share, have available in the classroom or library, as well as an easy to use reference book.
Fran Knight