chickaDEE Animal Adventures: Discover the World's Amazing Animals.

Janet Collins is a freelance writer in Sechelt, British Columbia.

This book is sure to attract animal lovers of all ages. Published by the same folks who produce kid-friendly magazines Chirp, chickaDEE, and Owl, the volume introduces readers to more than 150 creatures that make their home in different parts of the world.

Birds, fish, reptiles, insects, and mammals all get space. Some creatures will be familiar, others less so as inhabitants ranging from domestic animals to the wild beasts of the water, forest, mountains, desert, and polar regions of planet Earth are introduced. Fauna found in similar but geographically different regions—e.g., temperate versus tropical forests—are shown, thereby broadening the reader’s knowledge of how climatic differences affect similar environments so they can support different species.

In addition to the one-paragraph description of the creatures mentioned throughout the book, each chapter offers up a two-page spread of one inhabitant of the themed region. For example, the chapter focusing on country critters showcases the rooster and hen, the chapter on city dwellers highlights the cat, and the section on the desert spotlights the camel.

Don’t expect readers to garner a lot about any one creature, however. The book is heavy on full-colour photos but light on text, giving only one short paragraph of information and a photo caption in most cases. That said, the quality of images alone makes it a good general book about animals. Recommended.