Wildlife Crossings: Protecting Animal Pathways Around the World

by Catherine Barr, Christiane Engel (illustrator)

How have we prevented wild animals from accessing the pathways they need to survive? A look at seven species that humans have put at risk and are now trying to help.

From the cocreators of Water: How We Can Protect Our Freshwater comes a compelling picture book about threatened animal species around the world, among them elephants, hedgehogs, spoon-billed sandpipers, gibbons, salmon, grizzly bears, and cougars. Discover how the infringement of humans into these creatures’ habitats has cut them off from vital pathways and put them at risk, then find out how people are helping them by reconnecting wildlands and waterways. Trace the animals’ tracks, understand their challenges, and explore their journeys to find food, water, and the mates they need to survive. With an engaging narrative and bold illustrations, this enlightening book offers an end note providing a brief overview of similar challenges and solutions involving six more international species.

Genres: Animals, Nature, Picture Books, Nonfiction, Travel, Environment, Childrens

40 pages, Hardcover

Published August 13, 2024

About the author

Insta: catherinebarrbooks

I was inspired to write my first book The Story of Life by my two girls, for whom I searched in vain for the story (rather than a text book) of evolution – in 2015. Previous to unexpectedly becoming a children's author, I worked for Greenpeace International as a campaigner on wildlife issues for many years, before becoming an Editor at the Natural History Museum in London, where I wrote summer exhibitions on Myths, Monsters and Dinosaurs. I now write narrative nonfiction that I hope will spark questions, interest and action.

I am a proud Patron of Reading for a local school and visit schools and festivals with workshops inspired by my books. I love what I do and hope my books inspire curious and challenging conversations, as well as wonder for the natural world.

Reviews

[Vera Godley · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting and nicely designed look at seven types of wildlife and how their natural ancestral pathways has been impacted by human civilization. Looking at the issue, the author and illustrator specifically look at seven types of wildlife from aquatic, terrane, and air. After identifying the wildlife and the location on Earth, the natural ancestral pathways are looked at and how the wildlife reacts to human interference. Then a look at what mankind is doing to restore the natural habitat pathways wandering wildlife need in order to exist with as little impact as possible on wildlife and mankind.

Four pages of information detail the type of wildlife and locale it which it lives. Then how the problem is specifically addressed to support life for critter and man. A fun detail is search and count.

Pages are packed with nuggets of information in short paragraphs and sentences. This makes for "not-a-textbook" style learning and allows readers to peruse entirety of illustrations and text in discovery mode.

A good addition to science class libraries or classroom libraries.

I received a complimentary copy to facilitate a review. Opinions are mine, alone and are freely given.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

With humans expanding their cities, we're pushing animals and nature closer together with patches few and far between. Because of this, animals have trouble finding food and usually have a negative impact on towns as they search for different habitats. They will even destroy crops or cause car accidents. To combat this, animal advocates try to create paths and safer habitats for them. This book delves into seven different animals who humans are actively trying to save: Elephants in India, Hedgehogs in the UK, Birds in Asia, Gibbons in China, Fish in Germany, Bears in Canada, and Cougars in the USA.

WILDLIFE CROSSINGS: PROTECTING ANIMAL PATHWAYS AROUND THE WORLD educates children about how humans can negatively impact nature and ways to try to prevent this. The illustrations are painted with a crafty attention to detail and some portraits look like something you'd see hanging on a wall. In the back of the book, the author touches on seven more animals who are in danger because of humans. It would have been nice to see some more resources included to show children how they can help, but all-in-all, this book brings awareness to how we hurt nature when we don't take them into account on a regular basis.


Final Verdict: I would recommend this to children aged five and older who enjoy learning about nature and animals. It may even inspire some of them to become advocates themselves.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Catherine Barr offers a recounting of certain animals all over the world whose habitats and traditional paths when moving are threatened. It's sad also because people are taking over, draining wetlands, polluting water, and building in the middle of certain animal byways. However, there are those who are making considerable efforts to help. For example, they're showing elephants how to navigate created corridors for them so they can find safe spaces to get to their usual water holes, and "follow their ancestors' footsteps." They also keep both people and their own homes and workplaces safe.
Animals that are included in their plight and what is helping are elephants, hedgehogs, specific birds, gibbons, fish, bears, and cougars! One astounding number is that in China, on Hainan Island, the population of what they tell is the rarest gibbon, the Hainan one, is out of what used to be two thousand, the population is now reduced to fewer than thirty-five. The geography of the examples cover all over the world, and there are others, a few of which are highlighted on a double page at the back. Christiane Engel shows well the challenges between people and animals in her illuminating and lovely illustrations of Catherine Barr's explanations.
Thanks to Candlewick Press for my copy!

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surely there's a way for humans and other animals to peacefully coexist on this planet? But as humans destroy more and more habitat and take up more space through urbanization, places for animals seem hard to come by. One useful idea--wildlife corridors or animal crossings, as some prefer to call them--is highlighted in this appealing, hopeful picture book [3.5 for me!]. Inside, the author describes seven different places where countries are building wildlife corridors to help various species get from one place to another; these include elephants in India, hedgehogs in the United Kingdom, and gibbons in China. There are even descriptions of bridges for bears and ladders for fish, all efforts to make those crossings safe for these precious living things. Colorful mixed media illustrations showcase the animals, their habitat, and the pathways humans have built for them. The backmatter features seven more species that are getting a helping hand from humans, and the nifty endpapers are filled with animal tracks. This one is a good addition for an elementary or middle-grade science classroom library.

[Eve Costarelli · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the perfect introduction to the conservancy put into place to protect animal pathways across the world. This is such an important subject today as we must face the impact we have on the natural world. This book traces how our impact has put various species at risk because as we build up our world, it closes off the habitats for the indigenous animals. This is very well organized and offers an easy to use table of contents at the front. I can see this book appealing to many ages as there is just enough information to inspire a deeper dive but with the fantastic, detailed illustrations, it offers a great visual representation of the meaning of the narrative. I love how informative this book is and especially the “foot” print end pages. Just fabulous! Great for the classoom, library, home!

[Erin Buhr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Animals are often closer than we realize in the city. This book talks about wildlife crossings in general, but also goes into 7 specific examples from around the world. From elephants in India to cougars in Los Angeles, readers learn more in depth about the efforts to protect a range of animals in more populated areas. Each animal has 2 spreads. One example the issues - why the animal is in danger - and one about the corridors or crossings that are being created to help. The illustrations are vibrant. The text is readable on several levels with additional information offered in smaller boxes for kids who want to know more. I think this book has a lot of classroom potential from learning about endangered animals and ecosystems to conservation efforts around the world to geography lessons. A wonderful nonfiction book for kids.

[A. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pair with Wildlife Crossings of Hope: Connecting Creatures Around the Globe and Safe Crossing and Crossings: Extraordinary Structures for Extraordinary Animals.

[Bethe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the layout pattern - full page spread explains the problem with 2 paragraphs and some captions, then a full page spread explains the solution for 7 animals across the world. Last pages have additional animals that use crossings. No back matter, but acknowledgments section in the verso thanks the experts consulted. Fun interactive part with a specified number of animals to find in the solution page.

[Mary Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Animals that need ways to navigate around/through human barriers that prevent them from getting to food, water, or territory. Examples from around the world. A hope-giving book.

[Cherokee - Books With A Chance · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review written for: YABooksCentral.com

Wildlife Crossings: Protecting Animal Pathways Around the World is a look at how seven different and amazing animals' crossings have changed over the course of recent decades.

Wildlife Crossings is a beautiful tribute to all animals losing their homes for one reason or another.
Each animal gets a four page section, detailing their struggles with migratory paths or food trails, and what humans are doing to solve these issues. It was interesting to read some of the innovative ways people are coming up with to help these animals, and more, such as canopy bridges made from rope and bamboo, and wildlife crossings.
There is a lot of reading for each animal. You could easily choose to not read the bubbles found throughout the illustrations. However, I found it was the perfect amount to have your child[ren] silently look for the animals (i.e.: four cougars, seven pink salmon, etc). while reading these information tidbits.

I really enjoyed the illustrations. Each animal is beautifully done in a way that is appealing to both children and adults, while still looking like something you'd find in a retro field guide. I loved the expressions on the animals' faces, going from concerned in one spread and happy/relaxed on the next.

While Wildlife Crossings does a fantastic job of interesting children, I would have loved a source guide in the backmatter to further encourage children to see what is being done, or even what they could do in their own communities.

Wildlife Crossings: Protecting Animal Pathways Around the World is a wonderful addition to any bookshelf.