Family Album

Jean Free, a library consultant, is a retired public-school teacher and
librarian in Whitby, Ontario.

Family Album is a picture book that aims to teach young children the
different groups of mammals—e.g., cats (Felidae), horses (Equidae),
dogs (Canidae). Animals were arranged not by appearance but by common
characteristics in the system devised by Carl von Linné, an
eighteenth-century naturalist whose method of classifying animals is
still used today.

This “souvenir album” shows pictures of three or more animals in
each of nine groups to help children understand their scientific
classification. Poulin, an award-winning artist, presents large,
colorful illustrations filled with delightful humor, action, and elegant
design.

Family Album would be a useful book for teachers as well as a charming
book for preschool or primary-age children to peruse. It could lead to a
discussion about scientific research and our heritage of scientific
figures.

Family Album is a translation from the French original, Album de
famille.