Skeletons: An Inside Look at Animals [Hardcover]

Jinny Johnson (Author), Elizabeth Gray (Illustrator)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up

Meticulously detailed, full-color renderings of the skeletons of eighteen animals, accompanied by an informative text, answer questions about animal anatomy, characteristics, and adaptations to the environment.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this handsomely designed oversize volume, Gray's meticulously rendered animal skeletons almost appear to be 3-D-and ready to spring from the glossy black pages. Johnson's concise and carefully researched descriptions of the 18 creatures (including the human) profiled here include notes on physical characteristics, habits, habitats and-most pertinently-the ways in which bones and other body parts are used. Her straightforward text contains numerous little-known facts: because water supports a blue whale's weight, its skeleton is surprisingly light; and a penguin's tail has many bones, which keep it stiff and capable of propping up a penguin standing on land. Other animals spotlighted include the green turtle, Nile crocodile, red kangaroo, elephant seal, moose and three-toed sloth. On each spread, a silhouette of an adult human alongside the animal in focus puts the creature's size in immediate perspective. Johnson's frequent cross-references comparing the species also help clarify her data. A glossary rounds out this substantial book. Ages 7-up. Children's BOMC main selection.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5?An attractive introduction to the skeletal systems of a variety of vertebrates, from fish to humans. Each subject is given a two-page spread that includes a large illustration of its skeleton; full-color drawings of the complete creature; a boxed comparison of its size to that of an adult human male; and a brief discussion of its general behavior, physical features, and any distinguishing characteristics. This book does not provide in-depth coverage, but is good for browsing. Black backgrounds effectively highlight the illustrations and make the presentation eye-catching. Text is easy to read, although somewhat stilted. Steve Parker's Skeleton (Knopf, 1988) has more detailed comparisons of skeletal features and is a good follow-up title for readers seeking more information.?Cynthia M. Sturgis, Ledding Library, Milwaukee, OR
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Hardcover: 46 pages
• Publisher: Readers Digest; First edition. edition (August 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0895776049
• ISBN-13: 978-0895776044
• Product Dimensions: 13.2 x 10.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #545,524 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome Book and a Great Learning Tool, March 1, 2011

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Lady Readsalot "TDB" - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Skeletons: An Inside Look at Animals (Hardcover)

My 6 year old granddaughter asked me to buy her a book that "shows what animals look like on the inside". So, that's what I Googled and found this awesome treasure! The pages are big and thick enough for a young child to handle without easily tearing. There's a beautful color table of contents showing each animal documented in the book. Each animal is displayed in a two page spread with large pictures and easy to understand explanations. This is a great, not too scary, look at animal skeletal structure. It makes a great learning tool for any aspiring scientist. My granddaughter loves it and we've already enjoyed reviewing it together multiple times!!