Customer Reviews

Safari

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The initial attraction of this book is the wonderful artwork, but further investigation reveals a thoughtful and fresh look at nature. Robert Bateman tells you enough about himself and his lifes work to make you curious about him. Most importantly, he provides the reader with a close up and personal view of animals we rarely experience. He provides a quick run down of the facts of each animal and where it lives in a small information box. The text provides some very unique information on the animal. I found his information on how a giraffe runs to be facinating. A great read for children (and adults) of any age who appreciate nature and beauitful art.

The photorealistic artwork of Robert Bateman is incredible and mesmerizing. In fact, as I flipped through the book the first time, I thought the artwork was a mix of photographs and paintings.

This is what the catalog description says on the verso page (back of title page): "Paintings and brief text present some of the animals found in Africa...." Further down: "The works in this book...have been published as limited edition prints by...." Then I really looked, but some are so realistic as to defy belief.

I'm looking at the painting on the Dedication page. The fur on the backs of three lionesses looks so real. The yellowed grass on the savanna looks real. Bateman's dedication reads: "For young people everywhere: may you love nature--and protect it."

This particular book celebrates the beauty and dignity of the animals of Africa, which Bateman believes will one day disappear. But he is hopeful of their salvation because safaris today are planned as photographic ones rather than big game hunting.

On this safari Bateman took his family with him. One of the great joys of their trip was going into the rain forest and getting close to the great gorillas. In another photograph of Bateman he is sitting close to an orphan cheetah and sketching it. A painting of that cheetah appears in the book.

The book is devoted to a full-page painting of each featured animal, plus a smaller one, a half-page of information, then a block of basic facts (habitat, height, weight, food, and range). Animals included are elephant, leopard, giraffes, wildebeest, lion, cape buffalo (the most dangerous of all African animals), zebras and kudu, cheetah, dik-dik and impala, rhinoceros, and gorilla.

On the last page Bateman sits thoughtfully before an elephant painting and makes a plea for people to save wildlife and wild places.

This is a great book for children who like animals. The book inspires children to draw. My six year old son and I have enjoyed this book and have spent many hours reading it over and over. The drawings are incredible. Your "animal loving" child will love it, too.

This is a beautiful wildlife art book for children in elementary and middle school; adults will enjoy it also but might like the larger version. The book includes the natural histories of each animal in Bateman's realistic paintings and may be a useful resource for home libraries.