WEIRD, WILD, AND RARE

A compendium spotlights America’s most unusual fauna, from the bizarre to the endangered.

The infographic-style layout invites browsing rather than cover-to-cover reading, with each spread presenting multiple species in digestible chunks surrounded by fact boxes and “Did You Know?” and “Fun Facts” callouts. Readers learn that horned puffins live on the edges of rocky cliffs, that mantis shrimp possess eyes that can detect ultraviolet light, and that star-nosed moles have an elaborate bubble technique for smelling underwater. The bite-size format works well—a paragraph here about coyotes’ adaptability, a sidebar there about bald eagles’ vision—making this ideal for reluctant readers or those seeking quick information hits. James’ illustrations lean on soft, muted palettes of beiges, pale greens, and washed-out blues, giving the book a gentle accessibility but sacrificing visual impact. Categories like “Super Senses,” “Disgusting Diets,” and “What’s for Dinner?” organize the menagerie. Conservation status is provided for some animals, including the Devils Hole pupfish and Carolina northern flying squirrel. These worthy inclusions don’t significantly distinguish this from the many similar titles already crowding shelves; still, young factoid collectors will find plenty to mine. Guidance on observing wildlife safely and helping endangered species closes the work.

A solid addition to the animal-fact genre that gets the job done.