Photographer David FitzSimmons turns his camera on a variety of animals common throughout North America. CURIOUS CRITTERS presents stunning images of everyday animals, including a red flat bark beetle, an Eastern spiny softshell turtle, a spotted salamander, and many other intriguing creatures. Each Curious Critter is photographed against a white backdrop, showcasing the animal's colors, textures, and shapes with precision and clarity. Along with each photo is an entertaining and educational vignette, told from the critter's perspective: a bush katydid explains her bubblegum-pink color, a poetic opossum opines upon her often-shortened name, and a far-from-modest black swallowtail butterfly lets readers in on her secret for avoiding predators. Young boys and girls will delight in these colorful critters and their tales
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Editorial Reviews
Review
This collection of amazing close-up images on stark white backgrounds is a stunning introduction to the animals unique beauty. No one could resist lingering over the sharp details in these vibrant photographs. Facing portraits of the American bullfrog and the American toad highlight the differences between the moist-skinned frog and the dry toad. The humorous, first-person text implies a rivalry involving toads and warts versus frogs and princesses. One spread features a face-off between two very different predators a perfectly coiled black-and-gold fox snake and an Eastern screech-owl. The Virginia opossum looks directly into the camera and grabs viewers attention. The tiny mites hitching a ride on the red flat bark beetle are nothing short of amazing. A concluding two-page section provides a brief paragraph on the natural history of each animal and insect. An interesting spread presents overlapping life-size silhouettes of each creature comparing their actual sizes. Each one is numbered and color-coded as a test to identify the individuals and their groupings. The sophisticated photography and lighthearted narrative combine in an intriguing introduction to some of the inhabitants of the natural world. --School Library Journal, Frances E. Millhouser, formerly at Chantilly Regional Library, Fairfax County, VA
In Curious Critters, ecology adorns every page touching on camouflage, symbiosis, feeding strategies, and metamorphosis to name a few. Furthermore, brief natural history descriptions are included in the back so parents can teach their kids a little more about their favorite critters as well as a match-the-silhouette activity to reinforce learning the common names (no scientific names are included). All-in-all I loved this book! It s beautiful! --Scientific American EvoEcoLab Blog Kevin Zelino
Eye-catching and entertaining... its the images that really help you enjoy getting to know these curious critters. The detail in each image is fantastic, visual simulation for readers of all ages. Each critter gets personal in a quirky first person account; you meet 24 total in this book. Page after page, you get a quick glimpse into their personalities, as they share fun, educational tidbits you may not have known. --Examiner.com
It is a lovely, charming, enchanting book. I recommend it for any child or teacher. It would make a fabulous gift for the holidays. I think it will inspire readers to care more about the natural world. And, perhaps, to go exploring to see if they can find a pink katydid. --SmartMama.com: Jennifer President of the Parent Teacher Organization for South Shores Magnet School for the Visual and Performing Arts
It is a lovely, charming, enchanting book. I recommend it for any child or teacher. It would make a fabulous gift for the holidays. I think it will inspire readers to care more about the natural world. And, perhaps, to go exploring to see if they can find a pink katydid. --SmartMama.com: Jennifer President of the Parent Teacher Organization for South Shores Magnet School for the Visual and Performing Arts
In Curious Critters, ecology adorns every page touching on camouflage, symbiosis, feeding strategies, and metamorphosis to name a few. Furthermore, brief natural history descriptions are included in the back so parents can teach their kids a little more about their favorite critters as well as a match-the-silhouette activity to reinforce learning the common names (no scientific names are included). All-in-all I loved this book! It s beautiful! --Scientific American EvoEcoLab Blog Kevin Zelino
Eye-catching and entertaining... its the images that really help you enjoy getting to know these curious critters. The detail in each image is fantastic, visual simulation for readers of all ages. Each critter gets personal in a quirky first person account; you meet 24 total in this book. Page after page, you get a quick glimpse into their personalities, as they share fun, educational tidbits you may not have known. --Examiner.com
It is a lovely, charming, enchanting book. I recommend it for any child or teacher. It would make a fabulous gift for the holidays. I think it will inspire readers to care more about the natural world. And, perhaps, to go exploring to see if they can find a pink katydid. --SmartMama.com: Jennifer President of the Parent Teacher Organization for South Shores Magnet School for the Visual and Performing Arts
It is a lovely, charming, enchanting book. I recommend it for any child or teacher. It would make a fabulous gift for the holidays. I think it will inspire readers to care more about the natural world. And, perhaps, to go exploring to see if they can find a pink katydid. --SmartMama.com: Jennifer President of the Parent Teacher Organization for South Shores Magnet School for the Visual and Performing Arts
From the Inside Flap
Amazing animals - from a beautiful butterfly to a crabby crayfish - posed for portraits. Good thing photographer and writer David FitzSimmons jotted down what the pink katydid, jabbering jay, poetic opossum, and other Curious Critters had to say!
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
David FitzSimmons is a free-lance photographer and writer as well as a university professor. David photographs and writes for various magazines, including Outdoor Photographer, Popular Photography, and Shutterbug, newspapers, and online publications. His 100+ calendar credits include numerous titles by BrownTrout and Barnes & Noble. Dave currently is at work on a handful of books. His most recent books include Animals of Ohio's Ponds and Vernal Pools (Kent State UP) and Curious Critters (Wild Iris, September 2011).
One of five Sigma Pro photographers in North America, David presents seminars and workshops to a wide variety of audiences, from public school groups and college classes to nature centers and civic organizations. His works have been exhibited at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute and the National Center for Nature Photography, and the Telluride Photo Festival, among other venues.
David, a former high school English teacher, has been teaching for 20 years. He is a professor at Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio. He holds a Ph.D. in English from Ohio State University, with a specialty in narrative theory--investigating the components of storytelling--something that influences his photography and writing.
Dave was inspired to photograph and write about nature by his parents, Mick and Judy FitzSimmons, active environmentalists and life-long teachers, and he is assisted in his natural history endeavors by his wife, Olivia, a naturalist, and his two daughters, Sarah and Phoebe.
One of five Sigma Pro photographers in North America, David presents seminars and workshops to a wide variety of audiences, from public school groups and college classes to nature centers and civic organizations. His works have been exhibited at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute and the National Center for Nature Photography, and the Telluride Photo Festival, among other venues.
David, a former high school English teacher, has been teaching for 20 years. He is a professor at Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio. He holds a Ph.D. in English from Ohio State University, with a specialty in narrative theory--investigating the components of storytelling--something that influences his photography and writing.
Dave was inspired to photograph and write about nature by his parents, Mick and Judy FitzSimmons, active environmentalists and life-long teachers, and he is assisted in his natural history endeavors by his wife, Olivia, a naturalist, and his two daughters, Sarah and Phoebe.
Customer Reviews
|
Share your thoughts with other customers:
|
||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Charming and beautiful!,
By
This review is from: Curious Critters (Hardcover)
This is a positively charming book! It features beautiful photos of several animals that are found in our own back yards and teaches readers about them in a creative way, using the voice of each creature. I read this book with a fellow grown woman and we were both giggling as we read it. It's extremely clever and will no doubt be a favorite for readers young and old!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing Book for anyone!,
This review is from: Curious Critters (Hardcover)
The images of the animals are so colorful and each animal is photographed against the white background to bring out the beautiful and vibrant colors in each animal. It is absolutely beautiful to see. My daughter is so fascinated by each animal and the she was so thrilled to show one of her favorite animals, the "frog".When turning each page of Curious Critters, you will notice the brilliant images of the animals full of detail. You will be amazed by the colors of all the different animals. Each animal is named and includes a short story to make the animals unique in their own way. It is very interesting and will captivate everyone.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Nana's Gift Ideas: Curious Critters,
By
This review is from: Curious Critters (Hardcover)
Curious Critters, by photographer David FitzSimmons, is an award winning, eye catching photo book of both familiar and unfamiliar critters that captivated my ten-year-old granddaughter so much that she took it to school to share with her teacher and class the same day the principal brought in his snake. They enjoyed being able to see the animals closely in detail while also learning some interesting facts as humorously told by each one. More facts can be found in the back of the book along with life-size silhouettes for readers to guess which critter is which. I also reviewed Curious Critters on NanasCorner.com where I only review books my grandchildren enjoy reading. Both they and I highly recommend you give this book as a gift to your naturally curious child.
Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
|
|
Suggested Tags from Similar Products(What's this?)Be the first one to add a relevant tag (keyword that's strongly related to this product).
|
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
