Creature Features

From its thick (almost board book-esque) pages to its unique groupings of animals by alliterative characteristics (e.g. excellent ears, lovely long necks, huge horns), this is not your average animal book. Following a short introductory note from Durley, each double page spread features a host of creatures with the highlighted feature (some instantly recognizable and others less so, but all identifiable with the help of handy labeling) laid out to poster-worthy perfection. The way the text is arranged—the highlighted feature, a brief paragraph with some interesting tidbits, a search-and-find question—on each page allows for easy adaptation for a quick breeze through with an antsy toddler or an in-depth discussion and discovery session with a child in a more inquisitive mood. A bright (and totally killer) color scheme permeates the book and each animal is depicted with gorgeously accurate details (such as the giraffe’s black tongue) while also being expertly stylized, creating a reading experience that’s absolute eye candy.