Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Earth's Strangest Animals

A striking book that brims with appeal. Using a casual, conversational tone, Michael Hearst includes intriguing information as he alphabetically makes his way through dozens of extraordinary creatures. Take the axolotl, for example. Its name “comes from the Aztec language. The most common translation is ‘water dog.’” And “Scientists are still investigating what enables the axolotl to regenerate body parts, including a leg, tail, eye, or even its heart!” Facts are presented in an engaging way, using forms as varied as “short poems” (“Blobfish, blobfish JELL-O of the sea— / Floats upon the bottom, lazy as can be. / Hardly has a muscle, but doesn’t seem to mind. / It eats what floats into its mouth—crustaceans and some brine.”), “notes of interest,” quizzes, and “did you know” statements (“Did you know? The Texas horned lizard can squirt blood from its eye to a distance of up to 5 feet.”) Every entry contains the biological classification and a map that shows distribution, as well as a full-page illustration that shows the animal in its entirety. Ruler-like measurements, though not to scale, put each creature’s size in perspective, from the microscopic, clawed tardigrade (“also known as water bears or moss piglets”) to big red jellyfish, which can grow to be ten feet in diameter. In thoughtful back matter, Hearst explains why animals are becoming endangered and extinct, suggests things that readers can do to live more conscientiously on Earth, and includes links to ten wildlife and conservation organizations. The creatures are so fascinating that readers will be inspired to do further research.

Hearst's smart, humorous volume has all the trappings of a conventional science text: field guide-like pages (including Latin names of the featured animals, habitat maps, and classification breakdowns); "Did You Know?" sidebars; and clear illustrations (digitally colored ink drawings) that highlight important physiological features. The fifty entries are listed alphabetically, from axolotl to yeti crab, and Hearst provides many facts about the animals' appearance and behavior. However, the author has also playfully tweaked the style: sections that look like true/false or multiple choice are sometimes called "True and True"; quizzes throughout include humorous choices along with the real answers; and captions are often asides from the author rather than straightforward descriptions ("Blobfish: not as cute as the aye-aye"). Some creatures even inspire verse ("A Short Poem About the Dugong"). Hearst's appreciation for the quirkiness of nature shines through and is reinforced in a concluding note admonishing readers to be kind to the earth. Information about the author's website (where readers can purchase a companion CD called "Songs for Unusual Creatures," including tunes written and performed by Hearst and others) is appended. danielle j. ford