AMPHIBIANS EVERYWHERE

De la Bédoyère and Teckentrup team up again for another animal-focused survey.

This informative book starts with the basics. First, what is an amphibian? The opening spread doesn’t present the full definition, though readers can infer the rest from the pages that follow: These cold-blooded vertebrates mainly begin life in water with gills and metamorphose to live on land with lungs. De la Bédoyère moves on to discuss evolution; types of amphibians and their habitats and adaptations; metamorphosis; how they move, eat, and raise their young; and how the lives of people and amphibians have intersected, not always to the benefit of the animals. As with others in the series, this book lacks a table of contents and index, relying instead on spreads addressing specific topics. There is no glossary, but words, sometimes bolded, are defined in context. Teckentrup’s digital illustrations are collagelike, appearing to be cut out of marvelously patterned papers. Children are sure to pore over the pages, given the spotting challenges de la Bédoyère scatters throughout; the author’s lucid prose and knack for incorporating intriguing details (the greater siren can live without food for up to five years underground; the Taita caecilian grows an extra layer of skin for her hungry young to bite into) will keep them absorbed.

Fascinating and enlightening.