Review of My Favorite Animals ABC

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 03 Nov 2021, 15:59

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "My Favorite Animals ABC" by Elizabeth Helmkamp.]

3 out of 4 stars

Share This Review

My Favorite Animals ABC: What’s Your Favorite Animal? is an educational children’s book by Elizabeth Helmkamp. Rather than choosing a traditionally classic set of animals to represent each letter of the alphabet, Helmkamp has chosen some subjectively oddball species instead. Readers won’t encounter an alligator, a cheetah, or a kangaroo. Instead, they’ll meet creatures like an albatross, a cassowary, and a Komodo dragon!

The poetic rhetoric is nicely complemented by seek-and-find prompts throughout, and each capital letter of the alphabet has been physically hidden somewhere in the background of each image. Some block letters are camouflaged within tree branches, while others are nestled between monochromatic iguana stripes. The hand-drawn, digital illustrations are all colorful and eye-catching, and readers of all ages will appreciate the exotic and tropical scenes that depict a wide range of habitats.

Throughout the book, readers will come across many fun facts that they’ll enjoy sharing with family and friends. For example, the yabby crayfish is an Australian freshwater crustacean that changes color as the water clarity fluctuates in the rivers where it resides, and only the male quetzal bird has a long, flowy tail. I greatly enjoyed flipping the pages to see which type of obscure critter might pop up next!

While reading, I did come across several minor errors with appropriate punctuation, capitalization, and consistent plurality, but the editorial mistakes were the only aspects of this publication I disliked. A quick revision will easily be able to correct and address all of the grammatical typos present, and this picture book will delight tons of little learners.

I feel that this informative book of featured creatures would be appropriate for children between the ages of 3 and 7 years. The rhyming scavenger hunts will keep young minds excitedly engaged throughout. Due to the presence of the errors, I must award My Favorite Animals ABC a rating of 3 out of 4 stars, but I love this author’s unique and quirky approach to alphabetical animal associations!

******
My Favorite Animals ABC
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

kirthana_shivakumar · Post by **kirthana_shivakumar** » 06 Nov 2021, 01:17

This looks very interesting. It's a new genre for me but I'll definitely give it a try. Thanks for the review!

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 06 Nov 2021, 01:42

kirthana_shivakumar wrote: ↑06 Nov 2021, 01:17 This looks very interesting. It's a new genre for me but I'll definitely give it a try. Thanks for the review!

I do love educational picture books full of fun animal facts, so this one delighted me from A-Z! Thank you

leonard cavallaro · Post by **leonard cavallaro** » 06 Nov 2021, 01:44

Not a personal genre that I enjoy, however, this sounds like a perfect resource for children beginning to learn new ideas such as animals and letters.

Raluca_Mihaila · Post by **Raluca_Mihaila** » 06 Nov 2021, 03:52

The adults would also like to discover some new animals, I am sure

. And the fun facts make the book even more interesting. Thank you for this instructive review!

Niens Now · Post by **Niens Now** » 06 Nov 2021, 03:53

Educational stories are awesome. I am sure my little nephew will love this book. Thanks for a great review.

RetiredOBNurse · Post by **RetiredOBNurse** » 06 Nov 2021, 10:30

An alphabet book with unusual animals would be so fun to read! Parents and their children could learn facts about different creatures we rarely see or even know what they are! Excellent review as always!

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 06 Nov 2021, 11:27

leonard cavallaro wrote: ↑06 Nov 2021, 01:44 Not a personal genre that I enjoy, however, this sounds like a perfect resource for children beginning to learn new ideas such as animals and letters.

I agree with you there! I think it makes a really unique teaching resource for little learners. Thank you for commenting!

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 06 Nov 2021, 11:28

Raluca_Mihaila wrote: ↑06 Nov 2021, 03:52 The adults would also like to discover some new animals, I am sure . And the fun facts make the book even more interesting. Thank you for this instructive review!

Yes! Even as an adult reader, I felt a sense of anticipation as I anxiously waited to see what sort of animal might appear next. They were adorable choices. Thank you for stopping by!

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 06 Nov 2021, 11:29

Niens Now wrote: ↑06 Nov 2021, 03:53 Educational stories are awesome. I am sure my little nephew will love this book. Thanks for a great review.

They most definitely are awesome, and young minds will love the mix of bright colors, rhyming lines, and hidden letters! Thanks for the sweet words of support.

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 06 Nov 2021, 11:32

RetiredOBNurse wrote: ↑06 Nov 2021, 10:30 An alphabet book with unusual animals would be so fun to read! Parents and their children could learn facts about different creatures we rarely see or even know what they are! Excellent review as always!

There was even a flamboyantly feathered Umbrellabird that caught my eye in this one! I think the factual content would delight kids and parents alike, so I’d definitely recommend this teaching book of rare (and mundane) creatures like Honey Badgers, Manta Rays, and Earthworms to others!

Carmeleta P · Post by **Carmeleta P** » 06 Nov 2021, 19:18

This seems like a fun book to read to my son who will be two in a short while, though he
will not know the animals, I believe he will grow into learning them and knowing them in
no time. How many pages does this book consist of?
I would like to give it a try.
Thanks for your review.

AvidBibliophile · Post by **AvidBibliophile** » 06 Nov 2021, 22:11

Carmeleta P wrote: ↑06 Nov 2021, 19:18 This seems like a fun book to read to my son who will be two in a short while, though he
will not know the animals, I believe he will grow into learning them and knowing them in
no time. How many pages does this book consist of?
I would like to give it a try.
Thanks for your review.

Hi, and yes, this was a fun one! It’s just over 50 pages long, but every short animal introduction has a corresponding, full-page illustration, so it’s half pictures and half letters for the most part. So many fun species are featured, so I think your son would definitely find some new animals he’s never seen before!

Thank you for your sweet words!

Ethan Howe · Post by **Ethan Howe** » 07 Nov 2021, 15:57

Seems like a great read for my siblings that are only starting out with letters.

Rashawn Carter · Post by **Rashawn Carter** » 07 Nov 2021, 16:07

This book would be very helpful to children learning about animals. Some older readers might even get the chance to learn about new animals they didn't even know existed. Amazing review!