Animals Like Us - Hardcover

ARKive is an on-line, non-profit initiative launched by Sir David Attenborough in 2003 to educate the public about the urgent need to conserve the environment and all its inhabitants.

Grade 3-6-Designed to accompany the online ARKive of material about endangered species, this volume introduces readers to some of the animals included in that virtual "Noah's Ark." The book is organized by habitat and considers the threats posed by humans to the animals that live there. In each of five habitats, five animals introduce themselves and relate information about their daily activities and favorite foods. Each spread incorporates abundant photos. Small inset boxes include a map indicating where the animal lives, a list of specific threats to the species, and an estimate of current population levels. An additional half-dozen representatives of each habitat "speak" in a paragraph each. Information about links to ARKive and other Web sites appears at the bottom of most pages, where more photographs plus video clips can be found. (ARKive includes information about endangered plants as well as animals.) An extensive webliography points students to sources about conservation, environmental organizations, and sites devoted to specific animals and habitats. The folksy tone of the animals' first-person accounts may be designed to attract readers but raises questions about the value of making animals sound like furry humans. Entries on the ARKive Web site are written in a more objective and scientific tone. The book's real value lies in creating awareness about that expanding online trove of information about endangered species.-Kathy Piehl, Minnesota State University, Mankato
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