Vanishing Animals of the Mountains

Mary Stevens is a teacher-librarian in Kitchener.

This slight book considers a diverse range of animals, from kakapos (a
species of parrot) and golden toads to yaks and snow leopards, but its
many shortcomings undermine its environmental focus. The animals are not
given precise geo-graphical contexts, and initial generalities about the
endangered state of animals indigenous to mountains are not made
specific to the case of each animal. Interjections in the text such as
“Now, is that nice?” put a human judgment on animal activities, an
approach that could confuse or mislead the intended young reading
audience. The minimal textual detail on each animal’s double-page
spread is not extended by the sentimental illustrations.

The author urges readers to “work together” and “care enough”
to ensure that these animals don’t meet the fate of the extinct
Barbary lion, but young readers could use a hint. The lack of both a
contents page and an index makes location of information difficult. Not
recommended.