Versatile Vertebrates

by Tom Velcovsky, Marie Kotasová Adámková, Babora Idesova (Illustrator)

An encyclopedia of vertebrates that comprises of the most interesting and fascinating facts from the animal world combined with a fresh and modern look. Vertebrates are one of the largest animal groups and it includes cartilaginous fish, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. What do they have in common? What is typical for their body? Are you shaking your head in confusion, telling yourself that you don't know? Shaking your head is a sign that you are a vertebrate. Because backbone and cranium are typical for them. Did you know that African ostriches run at speeds of up to 55 miles per hour, which is the average speed of a car? Or that kiwi birds stopped flying because they had no natural enemies? Dive into the animal world and find out more. This book provides readers with information about the vertebrate family in a readable and comprehensible way, while staying scientifically accurate.

80 pages, Hardcover

Published April 18, 2023

Reviews

[Theediscerning · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty decent early biology reader, concerning vertebrates of the world, starting with sharks and suchlike and moving on through amphibians and reptiles to the mammals and the likes of us. Information is pretty much kept to just one paragraph a page, with colourful visuals having just about enough realism about them to stand well. I do think it's too easy to level the charge at this, however, that it likes giving us bit-bots of knowledge about the more superlative animals and not the common or garden, hence the impression everything is a fully remarkable beast and there are no humdrum critters out there. That doesn't make this volume alone in that, but it's more noticeable here when we are a young audience and here for the basics first and foremost. Yet, for the fact this manages to present the more old-fashioned, staid and worthy kind of annotated diagram, albeit in a style a century removed from that towards the current day, and for the trivia that geckos bark like dogs, this still earns four stars.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Focusing entirely on vertebrates, this nonfiction title could be part of an encyclopedia dedicated to the animal world. With its large, colorful illustrations, some filling an entire page, and all of them worth a second look, the book includes entries about various vertebrates, starting with cartilaginous fish and concluding with mammals. In between, readers learn about fish, amphibians, reptiles, and birds. Not only does the text provide basic information about all of these different types of vertebrates, but it also highlights creatures that typify each group, allowing readers to identify similarities and differences among species as well as sort them into groups. The relationship between the simpler vertebrates and the more developed ones allows readers to draw their own conclusions about how closely linked these species are. One plus of this book is how some of the drawings feature the interior of the animals being discussed. A reference list would have been quite useful, especially for those eager to learn more.

[Jeimy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informational and super colorful, this might be one for the budding biologist in your life!