Weird, Wild, and Rare: Extraordinary Animals of the United States

K-Gr 6–Resembling an attractive photo album, the extraordinary animals chosen for this look at well-drawn flora and fauna of the United States are “taped” to the page, surrounded by random tracks, shells, feathers, flowers, and greenery as borders. ­Organized by their extreme habitats, super senses, diet, camouflage, wingspan, and speed, the ­animals’ fascinating features are shown in text boxes and faux spiral notebook pages for easy browsing. From the gloriously illustrated end papers to the superb glossary and index, the illustrator captivates with unique design features and rich colors. Eakes invites emerging readers as well as more proficient ones to be amazed by their variety and specialized characteristics: “Have you ever seen a fish without eyes? Or a bird that can do puzzles and count?” Readers also learn which animals are in trouble, from near-threatened or vulnerable all the way to critically endangered. Filled with bizarre facts for the budding naturalist, the book ensures that students’ animal reports will never be formulaic or boring again. Children will also learn how to safely observe wild animals and how to help endangered animals as they find out exactly which weird, wild, and rare animals live in their own state. ­