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DK Eyewitness Books
Amazon
Cruise along the largest river in the world and explore the vibrant tropical rainforest that it cuts across with this amazing book packed with facts.
Discover all there is to know about life in, on, and around the world-famous Amazon River. Learn about the river's geography, its source, the countries through which it flows, and the stunning and diverse ecosystems it has helped create.
Explore the diverse flora and fauna hosted by the river. Take flight with the colorful exotic birds, leap around with the New World monkeys, take a stroll with the forest floor dwellers, and meet the ferocious predators that live in and around this massive river.
Find out about the many animals that live in its waters, from flesh-eating piranha and the largest freshwater fish arapaima to giant otters and the Amazon's amazing river dolphins.
Read all about the ancient civilizations that used to inhabit the area, the myths and legends they created, and the indigenous peoples who call the forest their home today. You will also find out how the modern-day industry is affecting the Amazon and what is being done to conserve and preserve this amazing ecosystem.
Eyewitness: Amazon is the perfect book for any child who wants to know more about the world's most famous river and its rainforest.
Discover all there is to know about life in, on, and around the world-famous Amazon River. Learn about the river's geography, its source, the countries through which it flows, and the stunning and diverse ecosystems it has helped create.
Explore the diverse flora and fauna hosted by the river. Take flight with the colorful exotic birds, leap around with the New World monkeys, take a stroll with the forest floor dwellers, and meet the ferocious predators that live in and around this massive river.
Find out about the many animals that live in its waters, from flesh-eating piranha and the largest freshwater fish arapaima to giant otters and the Amazon's amazing river dolphins.
Read all about the ancient civilizations that used to inhabit the area, the myths and legends they created, and the indigenous peoples who call the forest their home today. You will also find out how the modern-day industry is affecting the Amazon and what is being done to conserve and preserve this amazing ecosystem.
Eyewitness: Amazon is the perfect book for any child who wants to know more about the world's most famous river and its rainforest.
72 pages, Paperback
First published June 2, 2015
1 person is currently reading
66 people want to read
About the author
Tom Jackson
651 books58 followers"I'm a non-fiction author and project editor (plus I do a bit of journalism). I'm available for project development, writing, project management and I also work as a packager. Click on the links above to see examples of my work.
But first some background: Over the last 20 years, I've written books, magazine and newspaper articles, for online and for television. I get to write about a wide range of subjects, everything from axolotls to zoroastrianism. However, my specialties are natural history, technology and all things scientific. I've worked on projects with Brian May, Patrick Moore, Marcus de Sautoy and Carol Vorderman and for major international publishers, such as Dorling Kindersley, National Geographic, Scholastic, Hachette, Facts on File and BBC Magazines.
I spend my days finding fun ways of communicating all kinds of facts, new and old, to every age group and reading ability. I live in Bristol, England, with my wife and three children. I studied zoology at Bristol University and have had spells working at the zoos in Jersey and Surrey. I used to be something of a conservationist, which included planting trees in Somerset, surveying Vietnamese jungle and rescuing buffaloes from drought-ridden Zimbabwe. Writing jobs have also taken me to the Galápagos Islands, the Amazon rainforest, the coral reefs of Indonesia and the Sahara Desert. Nowadays, I can be found mainly in the attic."
~http://tomjackson.weebly.com/
But first some background: Over the last 20 years, I've written books, magazine and newspaper articles, for online and for television. I get to write about a wide range of subjects, everything from axolotls to zoroastrianism. However, my specialties are natural history, technology and all things scientific. I've worked on projects with Brian May, Patrick Moore, Marcus de Sautoy and Carol Vorderman and for major international publishers, such as Dorling Kindersley, National Geographic, Scholastic, Hachette, Facts on File and BBC Magazines.
I spend my days finding fun ways of communicating all kinds of facts, new and old, to every age group and reading ability. I live in Bristol, England, with my wife and three children. I studied zoology at Bristol University and have had spells working at the zoos in Jersey and Surrey. I used to be something of a conservationist, which included planting trees in Somerset, surveying Vietnamese jungle and rescuing buffaloes from drought-ridden Zimbabwe. Writing jobs have also taken me to the Galápagos Islands, the Amazon rainforest, the coral reefs of Indonesia and the Sahara Desert. Nowadays, I can be found mainly in the attic."
~http://tomjackson.weebly.com/
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
March 29, 2024
Always a great informative read when you grab an Eyewitness book. Very recomemnded
March 1, 2020
Jessica Schultz’ book review of DK Eyewitness by Tom Jackson:
In this DK book, we learn about The Amazon! The Amazon river runs through 9 countries and is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. I have always loved to learn about Amazon, so I was excited to read this book!
In this book, we can read about The Amazon River and the Amazon Rainforest, along with its forest-dwelling creatures, wetlands, plants and fungi, birds, monkeys, insects, aquatic animals, predators, amphibians, reptiles, and fish. It also teaches us about the ancient civilizations that lived in the regions, such as the Inca in Peru, Peru being the country that the Amazon river starts in. The amount of animals in the Amazon Rainforest and river is nothing short of awe-inspiring and fascinating to me as an animal enthusiast. This book shows us photos of so many of some of the most fascinating features in the Amazon! The biodiversity is so amazing here that it hosts between 10% and 30% of the flora and fauna species on Earth! There is even a mushroom species found in the Amazon rainforest called Pestalotiopsis microspora that can survive on plastic alone! It consumes polyurethane (the main ingredient in plastic products) and might be an incredible source of help to the world to reduce pollution.
Through this book, we can read about fascinating landmarks along the Amazon river and the countries that it goes through, such as the giant Carajás Mine in Brazil, the world’s largest iron ore mine. We also learn about some of the regions of the Amazon, such as the vast Cerrado; a vast tropical savanna region of Brazil, the giant Pantanal; the world's largest tropical wetland area that is mostly within Brazil, The Tumucumaque Mountains National Park’ a national park of Brazil that is situated in the Amazon rainforest, Mount Roraima; a tripoint that lies between Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana, and the Anavilhanas National Park; which encompasses a huge river archipelago in the Rio Negro.
The book also has a bit about the history of discovery and conquest of the regions, folklore, the traditional lives of citizens in the region, modern Amazonia, how people get around, and about some real threats of this beautiful region; such as deforestation, mining, and damming. It also teaches us about the modern industries here, conservation of biodiversity, and about the ecotourism and farming that the Amazon River regions offer.
In this book, we can also read about the Amazon river by its 9 countries, seeing how much of the different countries that the Amazon Rainforest covers. There is also an Amazon Facts page that shows some fascinating and quick info that shows us the scale of the Amazon Rainforest and river.
My favorite part about this book was the parts about the biodiversity, with all of the photos and names of these vast ecosystems. This is not at all an exhaustive list, but here are all the animals shown or mentioned in this book! I will likely study more about them on my own.
Birds: Anhingas, Blue and Yellow Macaws, Boat-billed herons, Cherry-throated tanagers, Glaucous macaws, Green-billed Toucans, Harpy eagles, Hoatzins, Hyacinth macaws, Laughing Falcons, Paradise Tanagers, Scarlet Macaws, Swallow-tailed Hummingbirds, Toco Toucans, White-bellied Woodstar hummingbirds, and Wood Storks
Mammals: Agoutis, Amazonian manatees, Amazon River Dolphins, Bush dogs, Capuchin monkeys, Capybaras, Giant anteaters, Giant Armadillos, Giant Otters, Golden Lion Tamarins, Howler Monkeys, Kinkajous, Llamas, Maned sloths, Night monkeys aka Owl Monkeys, Ocelots, Pacaranas, Pygmy Marmosets (the smallest monkey), South American tapirs, Spectacled bears, Three-toed Sloths, Uakari monkeys, Vampire bats, Water opossums, White-lipped peccaries, and Woolly Spider Monkeys (Muriquis)
Reptiles: Amazon Caimans, Arrau turtles, Common vine snakes, Coral Snakes, Cuvier's dwarf caimans, Emerald Tree Boas, Eyelash vipers, Golden Lancehead Snakes, Golden Tegu, Green anacondas (The largest snakes in the world!), Green Iguanas, Horned wood lizards, Mata mata turtles, South American rattlesnakes, and Black Caimans.
Amphibians: Amazon climbing salamanders, Blue poison dart frogs, Caecilians, Glass frogs, Golden poison frogs, Green and black poison dart frogs, Horned frogs, Mimic poison frogs, Mission golden-eyed tree frogs a.k.a. Amazon Milk Frogs, Rancho Grande harlequin frogs, Red-eyed tree frogs, Shrinking frogs a.k.a Paradox frogs (which are bigger as tadpoles than the adults!), Sira poison dart frogs, Strawberry poison-dart frogs, and Suriname Toads
Invertebrates (mostly insects mentioned here): Amazon giant centipedes, Blue Morpho Butterflies, Brazilian wandering spiders, bullet ants, cecropia ants, flatworms, Fungus beetles, Goliath bird eater tarantulas, Hercules beetles, Owl butterflies, Peacock katydids, Praying mantises, and Titan beetles
Fish: Arapaimas, Arowanas, Bull sharks, Neon tetras, Ocellate river stingrays, piranhas, and Xingu River rays
Of the plants, we have Açaí palm (often cultivated for its fruits, wood, and leaves), Babassu Palm Trees, Brazil nut trees, Bromeliad flowers, carnivorous Sundew plants, Guarana plants (seeds are often cultivated), Kapok Trees, Lianas, Lupuna trees, Pink Lapacho trees a.k.a. Pink trumpet trees, Rubber Plants, Strangler Figs, and Victoria Lilies (giant lily pads!)
Endangered animals:
Black caimans (Reptile), Giant anteaters (Mammal), Glaucous macaws (Bird), Hyacinth macaws (Bird), Maned sloths (Mammal), Pacarana (Mammal), Uakari monkeys (Mammal), Xingu River rays (Fish a.k.a. White-blotched rays)
Thanks to my local library for being able to enjoy this book! Please support your local libraries. They are such a blessing to have around and provide such a great cause. I have learned so much from books from libraries, and I am grateful to have had one in my life to help me learn so much. <3
In this DK book, we learn about The Amazon! The Amazon river runs through 9 countries and is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. I have always loved to learn about Amazon, so I was excited to read this book!
In this book, we can read about The Amazon River and the Amazon Rainforest, along with its forest-dwelling creatures, wetlands, plants and fungi, birds, monkeys, insects, aquatic animals, predators, amphibians, reptiles, and fish. It also teaches us about the ancient civilizations that lived in the regions, such as the Inca in Peru, Peru being the country that the Amazon river starts in. The amount of animals in the Amazon Rainforest and river is nothing short of awe-inspiring and fascinating to me as an animal enthusiast. This book shows us photos of so many of some of the most fascinating features in the Amazon! The biodiversity is so amazing here that it hosts between 10% and 30% of the flora and fauna species on Earth! There is even a mushroom species found in the Amazon rainforest called Pestalotiopsis microspora that can survive on plastic alone! It consumes polyurethane (the main ingredient in plastic products) and might be an incredible source of help to the world to reduce pollution.
Through this book, we can read about fascinating landmarks along the Amazon river and the countries that it goes through, such as the giant Carajás Mine in Brazil, the world’s largest iron ore mine. We also learn about some of the regions of the Amazon, such as the vast Cerrado; a vast tropical savanna region of Brazil, the giant Pantanal; the world's largest tropical wetland area that is mostly within Brazil, The Tumucumaque Mountains National Park’ a national park of Brazil that is situated in the Amazon rainforest, Mount Roraima; a tripoint that lies between Venezuela, Brazil, and Guyana, and the Anavilhanas National Park; which encompasses a huge river archipelago in the Rio Negro.
The book also has a bit about the history of discovery and conquest of the regions, folklore, the traditional lives of citizens in the region, modern Amazonia, how people get around, and about some real threats of this beautiful region; such as deforestation, mining, and damming. It also teaches us about the modern industries here, conservation of biodiversity, and about the ecotourism and farming that the Amazon River regions offer.
In this book, we can also read about the Amazon river by its 9 countries, seeing how much of the different countries that the Amazon Rainforest covers. There is also an Amazon Facts page that shows some fascinating and quick info that shows us the scale of the Amazon Rainforest and river.
My favorite part about this book was the parts about the biodiversity, with all of the photos and names of these vast ecosystems. This is not at all an exhaustive list, but here are all the animals shown or mentioned in this book! I will likely study more about them on my own.
Birds: Anhingas, Blue and Yellow Macaws, Boat-billed herons, Cherry-throated tanagers, Glaucous macaws, Green-billed Toucans, Harpy eagles, Hoatzins, Hyacinth macaws, Laughing Falcons, Paradise Tanagers, Scarlet Macaws, Swallow-tailed Hummingbirds, Toco Toucans, White-bellied Woodstar hummingbirds, and Wood Storks
Mammals: Agoutis, Amazonian manatees, Amazon River Dolphins, Bush dogs, Capuchin monkeys, Capybaras, Giant anteaters, Giant Armadillos, Giant Otters, Golden Lion Tamarins, Howler Monkeys, Kinkajous, Llamas, Maned sloths, Night monkeys aka Owl Monkeys, Ocelots, Pacaranas, Pygmy Marmosets (the smallest monkey), South American tapirs, Spectacled bears, Three-toed Sloths, Uakari monkeys, Vampire bats, Water opossums, White-lipped peccaries, and Woolly Spider Monkeys (Muriquis)
Reptiles: Amazon Caimans, Arrau turtles, Common vine snakes, Coral Snakes, Cuvier's dwarf caimans, Emerald Tree Boas, Eyelash vipers, Golden Lancehead Snakes, Golden Tegu, Green anacondas (The largest snakes in the world!), Green Iguanas, Horned wood lizards, Mata mata turtles, South American rattlesnakes, and Black Caimans.
Amphibians: Amazon climbing salamanders, Blue poison dart frogs, Caecilians, Glass frogs, Golden poison frogs, Green and black poison dart frogs, Horned frogs, Mimic poison frogs, Mission golden-eyed tree frogs a.k.a. Amazon Milk Frogs, Rancho Grande harlequin frogs, Red-eyed tree frogs, Shrinking frogs a.k.a Paradox frogs (which are bigger as tadpoles than the adults!), Sira poison dart frogs, Strawberry poison-dart frogs, and Suriname Toads
Invertebrates (mostly insects mentioned here): Amazon giant centipedes, Blue Morpho Butterflies, Brazilian wandering spiders, bullet ants, cecropia ants, flatworms, Fungus beetles, Goliath bird eater tarantulas, Hercules beetles, Owl butterflies, Peacock katydids, Praying mantises, and Titan beetles
Fish: Arapaimas, Arowanas, Bull sharks, Neon tetras, Ocellate river stingrays, piranhas, and Xingu River rays
Of the plants, we have Açaí palm (often cultivated for its fruits, wood, and leaves), Babassu Palm Trees, Brazil nut trees, Bromeliad flowers, carnivorous Sundew plants, Guarana plants (seeds are often cultivated), Kapok Trees, Lianas, Lupuna trees, Pink Lapacho trees a.k.a. Pink trumpet trees, Rubber Plants, Strangler Figs, and Victoria Lilies (giant lily pads!)
Endangered animals:
Black caimans (Reptile), Giant anteaters (Mammal), Glaucous macaws (Bird), Hyacinth macaws (Bird), Maned sloths (Mammal), Pacarana (Mammal), Uakari monkeys (Mammal), Xingu River rays (Fish a.k.a. White-blotched rays)
Thanks to my local library for being able to enjoy this book! Please support your local libraries. They are such a blessing to have around and provide such a great cause. I have learned so much from books from libraries, and I am grateful to have had one in my life to help me learn so much. <3
September 26, 2021
I got it for my son who loves Amazon rainforest and its animals and he loved it. I only wish they had more animals in this book. Nice book to have in your homeschool collection.
June 17, 2024
Nothing was more suitable to my current position in life than a children's book about the animals I was trying to identify in the Amazon.
May 31, 2018
I don't read and review picture books often, but here goes. This is a children's non-fiction book about the Amazon. it's full of bright, beautiful photos of the plants, people, and critters of the Amazon rain forest. It touches on a little of the history and myths of the indigenous people and also talks briefly about the Spanish and Portugese explorers. I liked that it had a fairly large section on the dangers faced by the rain forest today and talked about ways to preserve the forest while still allowing its residents to earn a living.
One quick fact that stood out to me was the following: "If crops are grown beneath the trees - a system called agroforestry - an area of the Amazon rain forest can make 42 times more profit than if it were cleared for pasture."
Since most people are motivated more by immediate needs and self-interest than they are by long-term preservation, this is the kind of information that might actually help save the rain forest from destruction.
I read this book to help research South America for a book I'm trying to write. It was a good overview of the area and helpful in getting a quick feel for the sights and life contained within. I'm not the target audience, but I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone interested in a quick peek at the Amazon - not just for children.
Five mossy green stars.
One quick fact that stood out to me was the following: "If crops are grown beneath the trees - a system called agroforestry - an area of the Amazon rain forest can make 42 times more profit than if it were cleared for pasture."
Since most people are motivated more by immediate needs and self-interest than they are by long-term preservation, this is the kind of information that might actually help save the rain forest from destruction.
I read this book to help research South America for a book I'm trying to write. It was a good overview of the area and helpful in getting a quick feel for the sights and life contained within. I'm not the target audience, but I enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone interested in a quick peek at the Amazon - not just for children.
Five mossy green stars.
November 1, 2023
Great introduction into the Amazon rainforest. It covers everything from how the rainforest was formed, to the various types of animals found in it, the indigenous people, etc, etc. Each category has a two-page spread, so the information is succinct.
I'm doing some mad research on rainforests in general, so I'm reading lots of different books that are more in-depth, but for anyone who struggles to retain information (like me) this is a good one for revision and quick references.
I'm doing some mad research on rainforests in general, so I'm reading lots of different books that are more in-depth, but for anyone who struggles to retain information (like me) this is a good one for revision and quick references.
June 23, 2018
I really like this book! It has a lot of details.
July 21, 2020
493 - 2020
June 6, 2023
A beauitful new addition - I use the eyewitness books as reference books for our units of study and this one will be loved for animals and rainforest. Recommended.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews