HOW DO MEERKATS ORDER PIZZA?

From meerkats to bettongs, a look at animals all over the world.

There’s no shortage of books that present intriguing wildlife info to encourage a sense of wonder at the natural world. But by including stories about the scientists who study these animals, Barker sets her volume apart, making clear the connection between research and the factoids that engage us. Each section opens with a page that names the scientist and their field of study, highlights a few identifying features of the animal in text circles, and includes a sketch of the animal. Three to six spreads follow describing the creature and the methods the scientist uses to study them. The text is set off with white space and comics in panels with speech balloons full of commentary from the animals. Scientists who study white-tailed deer, roosters, jaguars, humpback whales, and more are included. The amusing, spare illustrations depict animals that are just as interested in the scientists’ research as readers will be. Also covered is a scientist whose studies of the ocean parallel some of the environmental issues mentioned in other sections. The scientists are racially diverse, as are the other people depicted in the illustrations. A concluding spread suggests ways readers can emulate the individuals profiled.

A pleasing and informative collection of animal facts—and the scientists responsible for unearthing them.