Review by Booklist Review
German illustrator Braun's compendium of the northern hemisphere's wildlife is beautiful to behold. Divided into three zones (North America, Europe, and Asia), it takes readers on a tour of the mammals, birds, reptiles, and sea creatures that reside in these regions. He takes full advantage of the book's oversize format, offering full- or double-page depictions of many animals. The clean, digital artwork resembles screen prints and features stylized, but easily recognizable, animals placed against white or scenic backgrounds: a gorgeous, amethyst Compass jellyfish floats on one page, as red-faced Japanese macaques relax in hot springs on another. Each animal is identified by its common and scientific name, and many receive an informational paragraph, though Braun editorializes a bit in these. For instance, after pointing out that barn owls mate for life, he proclaims that their heart-shaped faces must be a sign of their faithful souls! While this book won't be much help for reports, its exceptional illustrations will foster admiration for the creatures inhabiting its pages.--Smith, Julia Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Eighty animals that make their homes in North America, Europe, and Asia-Kodiac bears, barn owls, yaks, and many more-are brought to handsome life in German illustrator Braun's weathered, posterlike images, which call to mind Cubist portraiture with their use of layered geometrical shapes, set against marbled, speckled backgrounds. All of the animals are introduced by both their common and scientific names, and casual yet evocative descriptions accompany many of them ("A snow leopard never roars. Its call is a drawn-out howl which-depending on the direction of the wind-can be mistaken for the cry of the yeti"). The skillful integration of artistry and naturalistic detail makes this a striking addition to a child's wildlife library, to be followed by Wild Animals of the South. Ages 5-up. (June) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-4-Braun's illustrations make for an attractive presentation on animals native to the Northern Hemisphere. Each creature is illustrated in either action or repose; in their natural environment or set against a solid-color background. Short paragraphs detail certain attributes or traits; however, only some of the featured animals receive this treatment. This inconsistency is questionable, as readers will surely want to know about the red panda or the compass jellyfish as much as the fire salamander. The inclusion of vocabulary words like deciduous without a glossary, the use of Briticisms, and the lack of sources listed limit this title's usefulness for reports and independent reading-young readers will likely need adult assistance. Furthermore, the picture index is not organized alphabetically but by the order in which the creatures appear in the text. Nonetheless, the color, design, and detail all make Braun's work delightful; the text and the illustrations meld with liveliness and a touch of humor (the Pileated Woodpecker can peck on wood all day "without getting a headache"). Front papers and endpapers peppered with claws and paw prints round out this decorative volume. VERDICT Braun's artwork is an absolute treat, but because of the spotty coverage and the format, those using this book will likely require adult assistance.-Nancy Call, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, Aptos, CA © 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
An oversized album of 80 common and lesser-known wild animals from three northern-hemisphere continents, identified by common and Latin names.The draw here is the imagery: gorgeous, geometrically stylized silkscreenlike digital portraits, most filling at least a page. Some pictures stretch across a double-page spread; other animals get two, one frontal close-up and another, more distant image. Often there's a suggestion of appropriate habitat. The American lobster is shown both in its living blue-green and cooked red states. Half the images are accompanied by short paragraphs offering a variety of interesting facts. Calleja's translation of the German text of this British import is sometimes awkward and in one case mistaken: the "King Duck" is properly a king eider. English spelling ("tonnes") and metric measurements are used throughout. And, as can happen when an illustrator writes his natural-history text, there are occasional errors. The Kodiak bear was not the inspiration for teddy bears; that was the smaller Louisiana bear. The text repeats the unfortunate and no-longer-used name "oldsquaw" for the long-tailed duck and attributes the raccoon's name generally to "Native Americans" though it comes from a specific Algonquian word. This title covers North America, Europe and Asia; a companion, not yet available in English, covers South America, Africa, and Australia. Thumbnails serve as an index.Amazing art makes this a browser's delight, but they should go elsewhere for solid information. (Picture book. 5-12) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
