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Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Earth's Strangest Animals
With humor and flair, Michael Hearst introduces the reader to a wealth of extraordinary life-forms. Which animal can be found at the top of Mount Everest, 10,000 feet under the sea, and in your backyard? Which animal poops cubes? Which animal can disguise itself as a giant crab? These fascinating facts and hundreds more await curious minds, amateur zoologists, and anyone who has ever laughed at a funny-looking animal.
109 pages, Hardcover
First published August 22, 2012
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
February 12, 2019
While I generally find the presented information in Michael Hearst's Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth's Strangest Animals both enlightening and indeed, evocatively, engagingly recounted (with enough hard science facts to be educational, but also never too dense, intricate and overly intensive to become confusing and possibly distracting, tedious to and for the intended audience, to and for children above the age of nine or so), personally, I definitely could have done without author's many humorous "asides" (as they do seem rather majorly silly, even potentially annoying, and especially the fact that nearly ALL of the wrong, that almost ALL of the false multiple choice quiz answers are unreasonable and generally make no sense common whatsoever, that is and remains truly more than a bit frustrating and irritating). And while I do, in fact, realise and also generally understand and appreciate that many children would likely find the type of humour displayed in Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth's Strangest Animals very much appealing, I most certainly do not (and more than likely also would not have all that much enjoyed this type of silliness even as a child, even when I was the age of the intended audience). However and all that being said and my personal textual quibbles notwithstanding, Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth's Strangest Animals is still and yes indeed a true biological and zoological, ecological treasure trove and as such recommended as a cherished and valuable teaching and learning tool (and although Arjan Noordeman's, Christie Wright's and Jelmer Noordeman's accompanying illustrations are not personal favourites, as I would certainly have much preferred photographs, they are an aesthetically appealing as well as visually clear successful and informative mirror of and compliment to Michael Hearst's narrative, his text, and indeed and yes a very good match).
Now I was actually very seriously considering a four star rating for Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth's Strangest Animals until I to my annoyance and intense frustration noticed that while the author, while Michael Hearst does provide appreciated and essential supplemental information and details on how one can become more environmentally friendly and proactive (including eating more local produce and consuming less meat), I am sorely missing a list of works cited, a bibliography (and by extension also adequate source citations with necessary footnotes or endnotes). And considering that Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth's Strangest Animals basically features mostly hard core science facts, features specific biological and zoological information and details, this lack of citations, this absence of any and all bibliographical source references is (to and for me) a serious academic shortcoming and enough for me to without hesitation now only consider three stars at best, as this book simply requires this, simply screams out for providing a list of source materials and cited secondary works (although I still do much and highly recommend Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth's Strangest Creatures, just with the necessary and important caveats that in my humble opinion some of the humour is or at least can be a trifle forced and irritating and that the non inclusion of a list of works cited with recommendations for further reading and research is a potentially considerably more serious issue, especially for teachers intending to use Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth's Strangest Animals in the classroom or as study material for their students).
Now I was actually very seriously considering a four star rating for Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth's Strangest Animals until I to my annoyance and intense frustration noticed that while the author, while Michael Hearst does provide appreciated and essential supplemental information and details on how one can become more environmentally friendly and proactive (including eating more local produce and consuming less meat), I am sorely missing a list of works cited, a bibliography (and by extension also adequate source citations with necessary footnotes or endnotes). And considering that Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth's Strangest Animals basically features mostly hard core science facts, features specific biological and zoological information and details, this lack of citations, this absence of any and all bibliographical source references is (to and for me) a serious academic shortcoming and enough for me to without hesitation now only consider three stars at best, as this book simply requires this, simply screams out for providing a list of source materials and cited secondary works (although I still do much and highly recommend Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth's Strangest Creatures, just with the necessary and important caveats that in my humble opinion some of the humour is or at least can be a trifle forced and irritating and that the non inclusion of a list of works cited with recommendations for further reading and research is a potentially considerably more serious issue, especially for teachers intending to use Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth's Strangest Animals in the classroom or as study material for their students).
February 4, 2016
Reading this to my son went something like this:
Me: Ooooo, flying snake!
Him: It doesn't really fly, Mom.
Me: Ooooo, glass frog. I wonder if it's see-through.
Him: Only the belly is see-through.
Me: Have I read this to you already?
Him: No but I have been reading it "a little" while waiting for you to read it.
Any book that my child finds that interesting is a winner. I hadn't heard of many of the creatures in this book and I learned something about even those I was familiar with. The silly quizzes and obscure facts make it fun for kids. Great bonus information in the back relates saving energy and recycling to animal and Earth preservation.
Me: Ooooo, flying snake!
Him: It doesn't really fly, Mom.
Me: Ooooo, glass frog. I wonder if it's see-through.
Him: Only the belly is see-through.
Me: Have I read this to you already?
Him: No but I have been reading it "a little" while waiting for you to read it.
Any book that my child finds that interesting is a winner. I hadn't heard of many of the creatures in this book and I learned something about even those I was familiar with. The silly quizzes and obscure facts make it fun for kids. Great bonus information in the back relates saving energy and recycling to animal and Earth preservation.
October 5, 2012
Come for the freaky pictures, stay for the entertaining text. Boy, if I could give aspiring nonfiction writers one piece of advice, it would be that. Michael Hearst seems to have figured it out for himself. Did you know that "baby anteaters line up the stripes on their fur exactly with their mother's stripes" while riding on mama's back? Or that the DoD funded a researcher from VA Tech to go to Asia to figure out how flying snakes fly? Yup.
And witty too: "Humans can easily approach Weddell seals. The hard part is getting to Antarctica." In an otherwise (mostly) flawlessly factual entry on the Hammer-headed bat: "Hammer-headed bats are closely related to hammer-headed sharks. Both animals take pride in their ability to easily remove old, rusty nails from lumber."
I.e.: YES. For the school library, the classroom, as a gift for your son's weirdest friend, as a gift for your son's least-likely-to-read-a-book other friend.
And witty too: "Humans can easily approach Weddell seals. The hard part is getting to Antarctica." In an otherwise (mostly) flawlessly factual entry on the Hammer-headed bat: "Hammer-headed bats are closely related to hammer-headed sharks. Both animals take pride in their ability to easily remove old, rusty nails from lumber."
I.e.: YES. For the school library, the classroom, as a gift for your son's weirdest friend, as a gift for your son's least-likely-to-read-a-book other friend.
September 17, 2012
A fascinating and fun collection of profiles of 50 of the oddest critters that inhabit Planet Earth. Hearst injects some great touches of humor to go along with the excellent information. Nooderman's line drawings in washed colors are a wonderful complement to the text.
January 23, 2013
I read a review of this on in "The Horn Book" (Jan/Feb 2013) and was excited! It looked like a great title to booktalk in the schools. Cool animals and quirky humor? Sign me up!
I was first disappointed by the illustration style. While I think the illustrations are well done, it just didn't work for me. I really prefer photographs for my amazing creature type books. I realize that is my opinion, and was willing to give it a go. Then I read about the Bee Hummingbird.
I've seen a number of good reviews of this one, and I'm glad it has an audience, but I just can't bring myself to consider it as a booktalk title with such an odd bit that I consider a major flaw.
I was first disappointed by the illustration style. While I think the illustrations are well done, it just didn't work for me. I really prefer photographs for my amazing creature type books. I realize that is my opinion, and was willing to give it a go. Then I read about the Bee Hummingbird.
I've seen a number of good reviews of this one, and I'm glad it has an audience, but I just can't bring myself to consider it as a booktalk title with such an odd bit that I consider a major flaw.
November 3, 2013
It was fascinating to read from beginning to end. Hearst is a master at finding the ooo gross facts that kids adore. Quick: what creature produces cubical feces, and why? (I should make you go read the book, but here's the answer: the wombat, which uses the feces to mark their paths and need the feces to stay put, not roll away!) I doubt highly I will retain much specifics from the book...the whole thing should be required reading for Jeopardy) but what you do retain is a sense of wonder of how amazing the creatures are that share our planet. A lot of the comments are funny which come close but do not veer over into annoyance. Lots of quizzes with obviously incorrect answers. The problem is, some of the correct answers are so bizarre you'd be tempted to call them incorrect. While playing, he makes a really strong effort to make certain kids (and curious adults, I know of one other adult reading this book right now) which are just for laughs and which are real. Besides, the blurb on the front from Lemony Snicket is almost worth the cost of the book right there: "Unusual Creatures is a rich and fantastic book of charming imaginary animals who....what? They're real? I'll be under the bed." Good index in the back complements the alphabetical table of contents.
January 17, 2013
It's hard not to love a fun, quirky coffee table book that introduces you to species like the "Jesus Christ Lizard." Not many nature books manage to combine education, humor, environmental advocacy, and hipness--yet this one does. You'll share the author's love of the planet's most unusual species after closing this book, and perhaps relate to a few.
Let us pause to consider the mating habits of the humpback anglerfish, for example. When the male discovers a female he fancies, he latches on to her, and then his entire body fuses with and is eventually consumed by the female's. Eventually he is just a formless lump on the side of the fierce and all-powerful ladyfish. Sounds like a few marriages, no?
Jokes aside, three cheers for the author for recognizing that diet is a serious environmental issue, and one of the best things we can do for the environment is cut back on meat. The author not only recognizes it--he puts it in his book.
Let us pause to consider the mating habits of the humpback anglerfish, for example. When the male discovers a female he fancies, he latches on to her, and then his entire body fuses with and is eventually consumed by the female's. Eventually he is just a formless lump on the side of the fierce and all-powerful ladyfish. Sounds like a few marriages, no?
Jokes aside, three cheers for the author for recognizing that diet is a serious environmental issue, and one of the best things we can do for the environment is cut back on meat. The author not only recognizes it--he puts it in his book.
February 5, 2016
un-u-su-al crea-ture:
1. An animal that looks, sounds, smells, or acts in a way that makes you stop and say, "Whoa, dude! What's up with that?"
I am obsessed with Tardigrades. Obsessed. How could I not be? TARDIGRADES IN SPACE!!! My beloved Tardigrade is one of the world's toughest animals. I have been so fascinated by these little badasses. They can be found almost anywhere in the world, including water droplets in your yard! This regenerating water bear is seriously the coolest thing ever. I originally found this book at the library because of the Tardigrade. But there is so much more within!
Some standouts:
The terrifying Humpback Anglerfish -- which has a headlamp (a bioluminescent lantern on it's head!) The way they mate is hardcore -- the small male bites down onto the large female, fuses into her skin & then disintegrates into her body, becoming a lump. The lump then fertilizes the egg. PHEW! That is some intense shit right there!
The flying snake -- it doesn't actually fly, it launches itself in the air over 300 FEET. Ugh!
The giant anteater -- can reach sizes of up to 7 feet. Salvador Dali had a pet anteater that he would take for walks. Although quite docile, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE ONE FOR A PET! In 2007, a zookeeper died when an anteater killed her with it's sharp claws. Dang.
The bizarre Hagfish. They have many unique abilities -- like being able to change from male to female & female to male depending on the season. They have a skull but no spine. & they also have FOUR HEARTS. Dude.
The comical looking Blobfish, who doesn't do a lot except float around in the water & waits for food. This lazy little creature is facing extinction due to fishing trawlers.
The badass Mimic Octopus, who are thought to be one of the most intelligent invertebrates in the world.
There are those that most people have heard of -- the Honey Badger, Horned Puffin, Komodo Dragon, Platypus & of course, the Narwhal (THE UNICORN OF THE SEA!) it was a good refresher for those creatures, but there was quite a few new (to me) animals. I learned some new facts about these amazingly odd, intelligent, fascinating creatures & took the opportunity to read most of this with my oldest daughter!
Also, I knew Australia had a lot of unusual creatures, but this book truly hit that fact home. Australia, you crazy!
I'll tell you what makes me sad: an animal that's been around for millions of years suddenly going extinct... because of us!
1. An animal that looks, sounds, smells, or acts in a way that makes you stop and say, "Whoa, dude! What's up with that?"
I am obsessed with Tardigrades. Obsessed. How could I not be? TARDIGRADES IN SPACE!!! My beloved Tardigrade is one of the world's toughest animals. I have been so fascinated by these little badasses. They can be found almost anywhere in the world, including water droplets in your yard! This regenerating water bear is seriously the coolest thing ever. I originally found this book at the library because of the Tardigrade. But there is so much more within!
Some standouts:
The terrifying Humpback Anglerfish -- which has a headlamp (a bioluminescent lantern on it's head!) The way they mate is hardcore -- the small male bites down onto the large female, fuses into her skin & then disintegrates into her body, becoming a lump. The lump then fertilizes the egg. PHEW! That is some intense shit right there!
The flying snake -- it doesn't actually fly, it launches itself in the air over 300 FEET. Ugh!
The giant anteater -- can reach sizes of up to 7 feet. Salvador Dali had a pet anteater that he would take for walks. Although quite docile, YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE ONE FOR A PET! In 2007, a zookeeper died when an anteater killed her with it's sharp claws. Dang.
The bizarre Hagfish. They have many unique abilities -- like being able to change from male to female & female to male depending on the season. They have a skull but no spine. & they also have FOUR HEARTS. Dude.
The comical looking Blobfish, who doesn't do a lot except float around in the water & waits for food. This lazy little creature is facing extinction due to fishing trawlers.
The badass Mimic Octopus, who are thought to be one of the most intelligent invertebrates in the world.
There are those that most people have heard of -- the Honey Badger, Horned Puffin, Komodo Dragon, Platypus & of course, the Narwhal (THE UNICORN OF THE SEA!) it was a good refresher for those creatures, but there was quite a few new (to me) animals. I learned some new facts about these amazingly odd, intelligent, fascinating creatures & took the opportunity to read most of this with my oldest daughter!
Also, I knew Australia had a lot of unusual creatures, but this book truly hit that fact home. Australia, you crazy!
I'll tell you what makes me sad: an animal that's been around for millions of years suddenly going extinct... because of us!
November 29, 2014
Educational and Fun for Both Kids and Adults …
This book was reviewed as part of Amazon's Vine program which included a free advance copy of the book.
Sometimes my attempts to find good books for my young daughters allow me to stumble upon a book that interests me as well and UNUSUAL CREATURES is such a book.
I typically find that science-related books for children follow one of two paths: straight-forward, safe and dull or overly animated, safe and corny. UNUSUAL CREATURES uses a more unique approach to introduce fifty “odd” creatures that roam, slither, fly or crawl among us. The author dedicates a nicely organized two-page (for the most part) spread for each creature that is chock full of informative data/factoids that grabs the attention of both adults and children by incorporating a little kid-humor. Something as simple as reading “goofy-looking” as an author’s depiction of a particular creature was enough to start the giggling … and the question-asking (the best indication that a child’s elusive attention has been grabbed). With the exception of a few, such as the Platypus and Komodo Dragon, the majority of the creatures documented in the book were unknown to me … so, I was learning too. Each presentation is centered on a visually dominating, slightly-animated “black and pink” drawing of the creature with diagrams pointing to any unique/peculiar physical features. Surrounding the pictures are factoids and details that offer an in-depth examination of the creature, including kingdom, species, habitat, etc. The author often puts the science in context for kids to understand by comparing creature aspects relative to humans … making it easier for kids to visualize. I felt, as a whole, the book was effectively organized. There were a few instances where two creatures occupied the same “two-page spread”, creating a little clutter, but I loved the presentation overall.
The only criticisms I have with UNUSUAL CREATURES are: 1. I wished an actual photo of each creature was included (the drawings are effective, but photos authenticate) and 2. I would have appreciated a more neutral approach to environmental issues (informing is great, but telling me what to buy is another issue for another book). Otherwise, I found UNUSUAL CREATURES to be a fresh and interesting approach to science that should appeal to adults as well as kids.
This book was reviewed as part of Amazon's Vine program which included a free advance copy of the book.
Sometimes my attempts to find good books for my young daughters allow me to stumble upon a book that interests me as well and UNUSUAL CREATURES is such a book.
I typically find that science-related books for children follow one of two paths: straight-forward, safe and dull or overly animated, safe and corny. UNUSUAL CREATURES uses a more unique approach to introduce fifty “odd” creatures that roam, slither, fly or crawl among us. The author dedicates a nicely organized two-page (for the most part) spread for each creature that is chock full of informative data/factoids that grabs the attention of both adults and children by incorporating a little kid-humor. Something as simple as reading “goofy-looking” as an author’s depiction of a particular creature was enough to start the giggling … and the question-asking (the best indication that a child’s elusive attention has been grabbed). With the exception of a few, such as the Platypus and Komodo Dragon, the majority of the creatures documented in the book were unknown to me … so, I was learning too. Each presentation is centered on a visually dominating, slightly-animated “black and pink” drawing of the creature with diagrams pointing to any unique/peculiar physical features. Surrounding the pictures are factoids and details that offer an in-depth examination of the creature, including kingdom, species, habitat, etc. The author often puts the science in context for kids to understand by comparing creature aspects relative to humans … making it easier for kids to visualize. I felt, as a whole, the book was effectively organized. There were a few instances where two creatures occupied the same “two-page spread”, creating a little clutter, but I loved the presentation overall.
The only criticisms I have with UNUSUAL CREATURES are: 1. I wished an actual photo of each creature was included (the drawings are effective, but photos authenticate) and 2. I would have appreciated a more neutral approach to environmental issues (informing is great, but telling me what to buy is another issue for another book). Otherwise, I found UNUSUAL CREATURES to be a fresh and interesting approach to science that should appeal to adults as well as kids.
June 6, 2015
Michael Hearst (with the help of his friendly designers and artist) takes readers on a tour of some of the world's most unusual creatures.
I've seen this book on several lists but it took a while to find it. I am ever so glad I did, though. A lot of the lists mentioned that this was good nonfiction for kids. They didn't mention (or at least I failed to notice them mentioning) how humorous Hearst's writing is! I thought I'd pick it up and read about a few animals at a time in between reading other books, but once I picked this up I was hooked and before I knew it I'd read straight from Axolotl to Yeti Crab (the critters are in alphabetical order). The science teacher in me was highly satisfied that each page includes the Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Genus and Species for each critter, plus normal range, and average size. The pages are just jam packed full of good information. The creatures picked span a broad range of types. Most are quite rare, endangered or threatened so Hearst also includes a section in the back for ways readers can help conservation efforts. But the biggest win of the book is that Hearst makes it so entertaining I couldn't help but stop quite regularly to share tidbits with my husband. Spontaneous impulsive sharing is a big sign to me that a book is a winner. Next year I fully intend to get some students hooked on this so the sharing will spread. Oh, and one more thing, the age appeal for this is quite broad. I can see little kids enjoying the weird and wonderful illustrations of the critters, while teens and adults are more likely to fully appreciate all the humor.
I've seen this book on several lists but it took a while to find it. I am ever so glad I did, though. A lot of the lists mentioned that this was good nonfiction for kids. They didn't mention (or at least I failed to notice them mentioning) how humorous Hearst's writing is! I thought I'd pick it up and read about a few animals at a time in between reading other books, but once I picked this up I was hooked and before I knew it I'd read straight from Axolotl to Yeti Crab (the critters are in alphabetical order). The science teacher in me was highly satisfied that each page includes the Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Genus and Species for each critter, plus normal range, and average size. The pages are just jam packed full of good information. The creatures picked span a broad range of types. Most are quite rare, endangered or threatened so Hearst also includes a section in the back for ways readers can help conservation efforts. But the biggest win of the book is that Hearst makes it so entertaining I couldn't help but stop quite regularly to share tidbits with my husband. Spontaneous impulsive sharing is a big sign to me that a book is a winner. Next year I fully intend to get some students hooked on this so the sharing will spread. Oh, and one more thing, the age appeal for this is quite broad. I can see little kids enjoying the weird and wonderful illustrations of the critters, while teens and adults are more likely to fully appreciate all the humor.
August 28, 2017
Unusual Creatures: A Mostly Accurate Account of Some of Earth's Strangest Animals is catalogued under 590 H3514U in the Dewey Decimal System. That's right this is a Juvenile Non-Fiction. But readers young and old don't be deterred; for this a fantastical time that can be had by all. Seriously, Michael Hearst is HIlARRRIOUS, (and yes, that is hilarious in all caps. with extra R's, it is just that funny.) When reading and enjoying keep an eye out for the side notes, short poems, and true/false quizzes. My ten year old son, (who mostly reads non-fiction if he can get away with It,) was rolling with laughter and then alternately amazed by, well, the unusualness of the creatures. I salute Michael Hearst with my highest honor of 5 big, fat ole' shiny happy-go-lucky, you are awesome, STARS. And on a side note I can't wait for this righteous dude to write some more. "WRITE SO MORE, SIR!!!" Thank you and Good night.
December 15, 2022
I confess, I did NOT want to read this. I was pressured into purchasing it for one of my kids at a book fair. This book is a reminder that things don't always turn out as you expect, and sometimes it is the better part of grace and pragmatic parenting to follow your child's lead. The kid for whom I made the purchase loved this book, used it for school reports, projects, and 1000 make believes. It came along on car trips, family vacations, visits to relatives. And the next kid (younger sibling) loved it just as much or more. Many treasures of childhood have been reluctantly passed on to others- legos, pokemon cards, etc- but the kids (now high school and junior hi) are still relishing this book. Still quoting it, using it in games of true or false with their friends. I can't believe I did not want to buy it!
March 4, 2013
An introduction to some of the world's most unusual creatures, some familiar, some not. I am officially entranced by the existence of the Glass Frog henceforth :) LOVED the author's voice (though I could've done without the mention of cigars in a children's book, not cool).
The artwork is detailed and grabs the readers' attention (just look at the front cover), but I couldn't help lusting for some real photos. Following the facts were an author's note about what readers can do to help preserve these creatures and prevent extinction as well as ways to respect the environment by recycling, conserving energy etc. Last but not least, the author made a quick plug for his other websites and projects.
Overall, a great nonfiction pleasure read recommended for grades 4-6.
The artwork is detailed and grabs the readers' attention (just look at the front cover), but I couldn't help lusting for some real photos. Following the facts were an author's note about what readers can do to help preserve these creatures and prevent extinction as well as ways to respect the environment by recycling, conserving energy etc. Last but not least, the author made a quick plug for his other websites and projects.
Overall, a great nonfiction pleasure read recommended for grades 4-6.
March 19, 2017
i was really glad that the pictures of the creatures in the book were hand-drawn and not photographs, so that i could actually get through all the interesting facts without being frightened into closing the book. (i'm not so good with sea creatures.) some of the creatures in here, i'd heard of, but not known things about, and some others were entirely new to me. a quick read. 3 stars.
August 15, 2020
This is a fantastic book for people of all ages! The author injects humor into his accurate biology, making the book a lot of fun to read!
January 13, 2017
If you liked this book, you might also enjoy:
✱ The Book of Barely Imagined Beings: A 21st Century Bestiary
The Book of Barely Imagined Beings is more in-depth than Unusual Creatures. It would be best for high-school and adult readers.
✱ The Book of Barely Imagined Beings: A 21st Century Bestiary
The Book of Barely Imagined Beings is more in-depth than Unusual Creatures. It would be best for high-school and adult readers.
May 8, 2017
"There's something fantastic about the fact that humans have inhabited Earth for 200 thousand years, and we're still discovering new creatures, including species of jellyfish, which were around for 500 million years before we got here.
This is a great book for any kid interested in wild animals, weird/strange facts, or subtle (and sometimes outrageously silly) humor. So. Yeah. Every kid. I think this is actually a great book for pretty much every kid. (Though, my four-year-old got a somewhat edited version, because there were rather a lot of words on each page for her. Hardly a fault of the book, though. Rather, I think it's a boon, because it means there will be *more* for her to discover in it as she gets older.)
This is a great book for any kid interested in wild animals, weird/strange facts, or subtle (and sometimes outrageously silly) humor. So. Yeah. Every kid. I think this is actually a great book for pretty much every kid. (Though, my four-year-old got a somewhat edited version, because there were rather a lot of words on each page for her. Hardly a fault of the book, though. Rather, I think it's a boon, because it means there will be *more* for her to discover in it as she gets older.)
January 20, 2019
Humorous yet highly informative book about some very unusual creatures including the axolotl, echidna, flying snake (yikes!), narwhal and mimic octopus. The most bizarre fact I learned was that to reproduce, male humpback anglerfish bite the female, release an enzyme that allows the male to fuse into the female's skin and eventually meld into her body and become a lump. When an egg is ready, the disintegrated male aka the lump is there to fertilize the egg. So if you find strange animal facts fascinating or simply want to learn about animals you don't regularly hear about, this book is a great find. It is infused with humor so it is not a dry read at all. Thanks to the 10 year old who recommended this book to me!
August 26, 2012
This very sophisticated book covers the world of unusual animals from A to Y, starting with the axolotl and ending with the yeti crab. The critters the author describes are all unusual in some way, perhaps in their appearances or in their habits. Two pages are devoted to each of the animals being introduced with information about their biological classifications and size being provided alongside colorful sketches. Clearly, the world is full of interesting animals, many of whom are described here to the delight of readers. This is a trivia fan's delight. The writing is inviting, never condescending, and intended to inform in a light-hearted manner.
October 31, 2012
I love the layout and format of this book. Each page features an odd animal (including some I had never heard of like the "tardigrade" and the "solenodon") with beautiful line drawings, sidebars, and short poems or quizzes to provide more information, as well as quirky facts (for example: "At the time of writing this book, there were only two video clips of the long-eared jerboa on YouTube."). Kids who like animals and encyclopedias will love this. I’m already adding it to my list of books to take school visiting next spring! This will pair nicely with the similar title "Small and Tall Tales of Extinct Animals" by Helene Rajcak.
August 14, 2015
I liked the tone and the variety of animals included. Although I enjoyed most of the illustrations, I thought some of the animals were harder to truly visualize due to the lack of detail in the art style. I also thought that if the author was going to go to so much trouble to include all of the species information, it would have been helpful to have pronunciations for some of the animal names. I can see this being a great book that kids will pass around to find out snippets of information about these strange creatures, and they will be left wanting to find out more--in some cases, because things are hinted at but not explained (i.e. a sea pig has "mouths"? How many?).
April 1, 2014
An exploration of unusual creatures suitable for children. Each entry contains a large detailed drawing, a quick summary of the distinctive traits of the creature, and a random scattering of facts, riddles, and the occasional poem. Kids will giggle while being grossed out and fascinated in equal measure; adults, uh, same thing.
+ wombats poop out cubes!
+ baby echidnas are called puggles!
+ flying snakes!
+ axolotls can grow back parts of their heart (and they're kinda cute)
+ the sad, sad fate of male anglerfish!
+ i learned that Australia is STAY AWAY - holy cow, isolated evolution leads to some truly bizarre creatures
+ wombats poop out cubes!
+ baby echidnas are called puggles!
+ flying snakes!
+ axolotls can grow back parts of their heart (and they're kinda cute)
+ the sad, sad fate of male anglerfish!
+ i learned that Australia is STAY AWAY - holy cow, isolated evolution leads to some truly bizarre creatures
November 25, 2012
I liked this sightseeing-tour through the bestiary of unusual creatures selected by the author. The facts about each critter are fairly brief, but may be enough to spark readers' interest to continue their study beyond the scope of this book. The illustrations are absolutely charming. One request: a pronunciation guide to animals common and Latin names (How the heck do you say, "Axolotl"?) In addition, I have a horrible suspicion that the author might be a hipster and therefore all the things I unabashedly enjoyed about this book were meant ironically.
August 25, 2013
This book was on back order for so long they when it finally arrived, it was absorbed into my TBR pile for half a year. I'm so glad I finally read it. I am fascinated with animals, and feel knowledgeable about many, but I still learned about many unusual animals like the Yeti Crab and Pink Fairy Armadillo. The author's humorous tone and flair for locating bizarre information makes this book a home run.
January 27, 2013
Unusual Creatures by Michael Hearst, illustrated by Arjen Noordeman, Christie Wright, and Jelmer Noordeman - this is one fascinating, hilarious, fantastic non-fiction book. I highly recommend you enjoy reading through this book. My son and I realized special things about the organization, loved using different measurement units with the diagrams, and also reading facts/figures/poems/songs about animals. What a fun book.
April 23, 2013
A fun way to learn about not so well known animals, but also an important lesson about how we impact the earth. He adds resources at the end for kids to find out more and the anecdotes on each page are really great too! I would recommend this to reluctant readers and those who are having a hard time being interested in science classes! The true/false sections add some laughs but also some lessons on learning how to analyze fact vs. fiction.
June 6, 2018
Hilarious. And Factual.
I only made it 20% through before I was confident in the 5 stars. So snarky. Wonderful illustrations. Modern color scheme. Random poems and impossible mnemonics and silly but true quizzes.
I only made it 20% through before I was confident in the 5 stars. So snarky. Wonderful illustrations. Modern color scheme. Random poems and impossible mnemonics and silly but true quizzes.
February 24, 2019
Weird. Cool. Funny. Interesting. Educational.
For example: "Narwhal means "corpse whale" in old Norse. This, most likely, is a description of the whales skin, Which is bluish-gray with white blotches . . . sort of like a rotting corpse." And the pop-quiz about the anglerfish's headlamp.
For example: "Narwhal means "corpse whale" in old Norse. This, most likely, is a description of the whales skin, Which is bluish-gray with white blotches . . . sort of like a rotting corpse." And the pop-quiz about the anglerfish's headlamp.
August 28, 2017
4.3 stars
Very readable and fun. Kids will really like it. I liked all 3 books in this author's Uncommon Compendiums series.
May 15, 2018
A really fun read about some of the strangest animals on the planet. Kids will love reading about some cute, some creepy, and some crawly creatures. I would recommend this book for kids ages 9+.
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