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Wildlife ABC
Two innovative books to help youngsters learn the alphabet and their numbers. Each letter and number is individually and clearly presented and is accompanied by its own vibrant and richly textured illustration, full of captivating details. Full color.
Paperback
First published January 1, 1988
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
June 3, 2020
Jan Thornhill is a bundle of enthusiasm and talent. Her book of city nature has a hidden cat name I haven’t solved yet! I enjoy every phase of welcoming Manitoba’s seasonal and constant wildlife rurally. So engaging and successful is Jan at what she wants to impart, that I seize upon her books. Now I have a 2012 edition of a 1988 book for smaller kids, which I give five full stars for gorgeous artwork and a wonderful nature sampling from which I learned, myself: “The Wildlife ABC: A Nature Alphabet Book”.
Learning the alphabet vis-à-vis sweet, memorable rhymes, I could not think of better animals for every letter, as widely and as well-balanced across the spectrum of possibilities. I scarcely knew what “gannets” were: northern birds. These lovely aquatic birds who are white with orange heads, were paired on page one with “auks”, of whom I had not heard. No wonder: paragraphs at the back expand on the drawings’ contents and subject of every page. We learn that there are auks but that the “great auk” was sadly murdered into extinction, by seafarers and museum collectors in 1844. Thanks to the great auk, action to prevent extinction and endangerment were created; such as prohibiting hunting during a bird’s nesting season!
In this book, we meet important animals we might not know where we live, or in our time. We also smile over as familiar and simple tableaux, as a housefly before a fridge. The art is colourful in a soothing finish; with pretty, detailed, thematic borders. “Z” for zoo shows everyone in a portrait together, making a lovely conclusion to a book that can be an easy night-time lullaby, or a detailed featurette of 26 animals and insects. A lot of work went into every part of this book.
Learning the alphabet vis-à-vis sweet, memorable rhymes, I could not think of better animals for every letter, as widely and as well-balanced across the spectrum of possibilities. I scarcely knew what “gannets” were: northern birds. These lovely aquatic birds who are white with orange heads, were paired on page one with “auks”, of whom I had not heard. No wonder: paragraphs at the back expand on the drawings’ contents and subject of every page. We learn that there are auks but that the “great auk” was sadly murdered into extinction, by seafarers and museum collectors in 1844. Thanks to the great auk, action to prevent extinction and endangerment were created; such as prohibiting hunting during a bird’s nesting season!
In this book, we meet important animals we might not know where we live, or in our time. We also smile over as familiar and simple tableaux, as a housefly before a fridge. The art is colourful in a soothing finish; with pretty, detailed, thematic borders. “Z” for zoo shows everyone in a portrait together, making a lovely conclusion to a book that can be an easy night-time lullaby, or a detailed featurette of 26 animals and insects. A lot of work went into every part of this book.
January 11, 2023
Fun, informative, with a straightforward but generally much effective rhyming sequence, Jane Thornhill's The Wildlife ABC is a perfect introduction to both wildlife (ecosystems) and the twenty-six letters of the alphabet (perhaps not for the very very young, but the poetic little verses of The Wildlife ABC are still and nevertheless always simple and uncomplicated enough to generally be used with and for children just learning their letters, from about Kindergarten to grade two, I would say). And an added bonus are the detailed nature notes that Jane Thornhill has included at the back The Wildlife ABC, and while I do lament a bit that a list of suggestions for further reading and study, that a select bibliography has not been included, the supplemental notes for each of the twenty-six letter sections (one for each letter of the alphabet of course) are indeed a true treasure trove of additional wildlife themed information, and even with the absence of bibliographical source materials, this very much and appreciatively increases the potential teaching and learning values of The Wildlife ABC.
Now the accompanying illustrations (which also have been rendered by Jane Thornhill who acts as both author and illustrator for The Wildlife ABC) are bright and lively, with an intense and vibrantly joyful colour scheme (one that is sure to enchant children and keep their interest). And while a bit too cartoon-like and two dimensional for me to consider them personal favourites, the featured depictions do always provide a successful mirror of and to the twenty-six letter sections (which in fact do almost exclusively feature actual animals, actual wildlife), presenting a glowing and yes, mostly realistic pictorial display of the author's text, of Jane Thornhill's printed words. Highly recommended!
Now the accompanying illustrations (which also have been rendered by Jane Thornhill who acts as both author and illustrator for The Wildlife ABC) are bright and lively, with an intense and vibrantly joyful colour scheme (one that is sure to enchant children and keep their interest). And while a bit too cartoon-like and two dimensional for me to consider them personal favourites, the featured depictions do always provide a successful mirror of and to the twenty-six letter sections (which in fact do almost exclusively feature actual animals, actual wildlife), presenting a glowing and yes, mostly realistic pictorial display of the author's text, of Jane Thornhill's printed words. Highly recommended!
July 24, 2011
Each letter is represented by a two line rhyme about an animal, bird or insect and a lovely bordered painting. At the back of the book, the author has added more detailed information about the animals she's introduced.
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April 17, 2016I would let the students think of other animals that begin with the letters.
May 23, 2020
Liked this one a lot. Atypical examples for the letters and it rhymes! Win-win!
Recommend.
Recommend.
March 19, 2026
i love this book so much
jut like the wildlife, im a nature girl so yeah and look inside
these are telling me about animals i didnt even know
at first i was like NOOOOOOOOO
but it was so cool
jut like the wildlife, im a nature girl so yeah and look inside
these are telling me about animals i didnt even know
at first i was like NOOOOOOOOO
but it was so cool
July 25, 2019
Great pictures!
July 18, 2023
Love the illustrations.
January 19, 2024
So Canadian! I love that. The illustrations and their borders are beautiful. The rhyme scheme is pleasing. And the Nature Notes section at the back is so informative!
February 29, 2016
It's alright but I don't think it is for reading with kids; they can read it to themselves.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews