4 out of 4 stars
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The Animal Connection by Heather Brooks is a collection of stories about wild animals and the people working to save them. These true stories are short and educational, full of interesting facts and information. The stories are also accompanied by photographs of the wolves, alligators, owls, birds, dolphins and other wildlife featured in the book. Parents, teachers, kids, and wildlife enthusiasts will love reading the stories and learning about these amazing creatures.
I love all sorts of animals, so reading a book about them appealed to me. This short little book is cute and fun to read. It has brief sections about each of the animals, followed by accompanying pictures. Probably the most interesting section for me was about the way dolphins are being trained to recover undersea artifacts. Some are even being trained for war against terrorists. I wasn’t aware that dolphins were being used for naval missions, so that tidbit was fascinating.
The book also discusses some new technology regarding drones. It was interesting to learn that the smallest drone now is currently modeled after a hummingbird, and further models could be no larger than insects. My favorite animal was Boo the owl. He had the most adorable photo and personality. It was also very encouraging to learn about an endangered species of fox being brought back from the brink of extinction.
The book is well-edited and only had a few errors. The paperback copy is a nice size for reading and the pictures are all in color. The photography was probably my favorite addition to the book because I liked having a face to accompany the animals’ stories. The photos translate quite well to the page and are relatively clear. The only way the pictures could be better would be if this book were made into an e-book.
The stories are about 2-3 pages each. The stories reminded me a lot of those story books for kids from the 1970s that had accompanying pictures in black and white, only these are updated for a modern audience. The content is also interesting and educational. Virtually anyone with a passing interest in the subject of animals can learn something new from this book. The author clearly adores and appreciates each animal she writes about, so I can see this book being a great addition to school libraries. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars for editing, length, and the adorable animals.
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The Animal Connection
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