The Kingfisher First Animal Encyclopedia (Kingfisher First Reference) (Library Binding)

~ (Author), Jon Kirkwood (Author) "The aardvark is an African mammal that eats termites and ants..." (more)
Key Phrases: first tamed, South America, North America, United States (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This slim encyclopedia is aimed at satisfying the very young reader's first attempt at animal research. The 155 entries are arranged in alphabetical order, from aardvark to zebra, and are illustrated with just fewer than 1,000 color pictures, including some photographs. The animals are those most likely to be encountered by young children in picture books, zoos, or their own backyards. There are also entries for larger groups (baby animal, mammal, reptile) and for some topics related to animal behavior, such as communication and migration. Each topic is covered in one page, with text consisting of a brief description of the animal in bold type, and captions for each picture. The print size is readable and appealing to the elementary user.

For some animals, such as butterfly and frog, an illustration of the life cycle is provided, with numbers to help students see the various stages in sequence. Each page includes "Find Out More," which functions as a see also reference. Fact boxes contain added facts and figures, but are missing for some animals. Parents, teachers, and librarians will welcome step-by-step activities and projects that are included with animal topics that lend themselves to arts-and-crafts projects. A glossary and index add value to the volume as a reference tool.

Similarly-named volumes, The Kingfisher First Encyclopedia of Animals (1994), with 400 entries, and The Kingfisher Illustrated Encyclopedia of Animals [RBB O 15 92], covering more than 2,000 animals, are geared toward older children. Children ages five through eight will have a visual adventure with this new Kingfisher volume, which will answer the basic requirements of animal reports, though further research may be required on most animals. Recommended for school and public libraries.

Product Description

Witness the lightning-like dart of the chameleon's sticky tongue or the devious devices of the trap-door spider!

The Kingfisher First Animal Encyclopedia is a valuable addition to the Kingfisher First Reference series and the perfect introduction to the enduringly popular subject of both wild and domestic animals. Detailed, full color illustrations and photographs present animals in a variety of settings -- in their natural habitats, hunting prey, feeding offspring, or engaging in other types of typical behavior. Photographs of children interacting with animals and a variety of clearly-explained activities provide examples of animal behavior or physiology and make this an exceptionally child-friendly book.

Special Features:

Hands-on activities to reinforce learning.
Clear, simple text is inviting and accessible to five- and six-year-old children.
Fact boxes and detailed captions provide older children with in-depth information.
Simple alphabetical arrangement.
Bold, clear headwords.
Cross-references.
Index and glossary.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4-8
  
• Library Binding: 160 pages
• Publisher: Kingfisher (September 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0753451352
• ISBN-13: 978-0753451359
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.8 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #628,414 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Preschool Resource, October 24, 2001

By	"a_mom" (Michigan) - See all my reviews

Before buying this book, I wondered if it covered enough animals to make it worthwhile. It does. Rarely are we disappointed when we reach for this kid-friendly encyclopedia. Some entries cover several similar animals, such as the entry for the Kangaroo and Wallaby.

Each entry contains a nice combination of illustrations/photographs and text. The information is nicely geared toward preschoolers and younger elementary-aged children. So far, it's been able to answer most of the questions of my very inquisitive 3 1/2 year old.

The book contains a very nice table of contents, glossary and index. While finding information on animals, my son has also learned how to use these handy reference tools. However, the book does not contain a map. A map would be a welcome addition since the book often mentions where the animals live. We use a separate map/globe/atlas but it makes the whole process more bulky.

Several of the entries cover animal-related infomation: camoflage, communication, conservation, coral reef, defense, evolution, habitat, migration, and reproduction. There are also separate entries for amphibian, insect, mammal, and reptile.

The book contains some hand-on art and experiments for a few of the entries. The ones we have tried are very age appropriate for my 3 1/2 year old.

We've referred to this book a lot. Judging by the quality of information and the interest my son shows in it, we'll continue to do so for quite some time.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good for Basic Introduction to Animals, October 10, 2007

By	Kate, Lizzie, and Baby Belle's Mom "Erica" (Medford, NJ) - See all my reviews

This book covers a lot of animals, with one page dedicated to each. The pages are pictures with captions, and very little other text describing the animals. Since I picked this book up for homeschooling, I have found I need a lot of other resources (library books and Internet) to get substantial information. But it's a great book for kids to flip through and familiarize themselves with different animals.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best for preschoolers, September 10, 2006

By	J. Lee "beanies' mommy" (OC, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I checked out 4 animal encyclopedias for children. They are all great, but three of them were classified by the kinds/habitat/class. The Kingfisher's animal encyclopedia is organized alphabetically and dedicates one or two pages maximum on one animal. My 4 year old likes it the best. When he wants to look up shark, he goes, 'sh, sh,... letter S!' and he can find it easily. In one page, this book sums up what preschoolers and kindergarteners want to know about the shark. This is truely the best first animal encyclopedia for children.