Firefly Encyclopedia of Animals

by Dr Philip Whitfield (Editor), Camilla Bedoyere (Editor)

A lavishly illustrated who's who of the animal kingdom. Firefly Encyclopedia of Animals is a stunning new reference guide to 840 members of the Animal Kingdom from every continent -- North and South America, Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia. More than 1,000 commissioned full-color watercolors, photographs and distribution maps describe the animal world for readers of all ages. From the smallest mouse to the largest whale, this book offers a detailed and thorough guide to a wide array of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, as well as insects, spiders and other invertebrates. Firefly Encyclopedia of Animals presents accurate, succinct and essential information, as In addition to the principal text, there are side illustrations throughout along with fast-fact panels. Written in clear language that will engage readers of all ages, this authoritative reference is ideal for home and school, where it will be especially useful for natural history reports.

Genres: Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

Published September 11, 2014

Reviews

[Seriously · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whitfield, P. (2014). Firefly encyclopedia of animals. Richmond Hill, Ontario: Firefly Books.

Citation by: Stephanie Ross

Call Number: Ref 590.3

Content/Scope: An encyclopedia for children grades 4 and up. This reference book has 256 pages of information on 840 members of the animal kingdom. Content includes 1,000 commissioned full-color watercolors, photographs and distribution maps along with information on wildlife conservation and updates on endangered animals.

Accuracy/Authority/Bias: Firefly Books is a well know publishing company of reference resources. The encyclopedia contains no bias and is recommended in multiple reviews from well-respected literature critics.

Arrangement/Presentation: Arrangement of information is by animal species and represents animals from every continent. Animals are described both in text and illustrations for a complete representation of each species. Physical characteristics of the animal as well as their habitat are described for informational purposes. To supplement the text and illustrations, "fast fact" panels are embedded for additional knowledge.

Relation to other works: There are other encyclopedias on animals for purchase. This encyclopedia comes highly recommended by multiple sources as a definitive reference resource for elementary students.

Accessibility/Diversity: The illustrations and text are recommended for older elementary students or for younger students who read/comprehend at a high level. The language is not sexist. The illustrations will engage visual learners.

Cost: $17.01

Review: Glantz, S. (2015). Firefly encyclopedia of animals. Library Media Connection, 33(6).

[Brandy.New784]

• De La Bedoyere, C., Whitfield, P. (2014). Firefly Encyclopedia of Animals: A comprehensive look at the world of animals with hundreds of superb illustrations. Firefly Books: Buffalo, New York.
•
Citation by: Brandy New

Type of Reference: Encyclopedia

Call Number: QL49 .F5185 2014

Content/Scope: An encyclopedia which briefly provides information about size, geographic range, habitat and often habits of every animal in the animal kingdom. Book is marked for grades 5 and up.

Accuracy/Authority/Bias: Firefly is reputable publisher. Sources appear to be credible for the basis of the information.

Arrangement/Presentation: Book has a magazine feel with focus on a short description and beautiful photos. Animals are categorized by kingdom with catchy titles for each section. A glossary and index are included to aid users in finding specific information.

Relation to other works: There are many illustrated animal books available to elementary students. This book attempts to cover all animals, and is comparatively comprehensive in that attempt.

Accessibility/Diversity: Illustrations and short descriptions will make the text accessible to children looking for information. Students looking to just browse will enjoy the eye-catching format.

Cost: $19.95

Professional Review: Dean, K. F. (2015). History Animals and Zombies. School Library Journal, Feb. 9, 2015. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2015/02/reviews/re...

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

This comprehensive encyclopedia of animals has a table of contents that organizes animals of the world in five vertebrate classes including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Invertebrates including insects and spiders are also examined. Detailed realistic drawings of individual species, skeletons, diagrams, charts, life cycles, and photographs fill the pages. A detailed index completes the volume so it is easy to look up any animal by its name or class. This is an excellent overview of the animal kingdom which includes well-labeled drawings and clear explanations of topics such as how fish breathe, how frogs leap, how animals communicate, how varied shapes of wings are useful for different kinds of flight, and why animals build nests.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an impulse buy and was well worth it. When I was a child, I had a large book full of different (full-color) pictures of many different animals. That book fell apart long ago, but this one reminds me of it. So many animals in this small book. All my favorites were inside, save for Goliath Bird-Eating Tarantula. Easy to digest information accompany the lovely drawings. Recommended.