A Is for Axolotl

by Catherine Macorol

Incredible animals await in Unusual Animal ABC—not the tame or the merely wild, but the strangest, most fasincating creatures of all!

Readers will join an alphabet adventure that spans the globe as they climb trees with the binturong (also known as the bearcat), glide through the rainforest canopy with the colugo, and deep dive with the Dumbo octopus.
Get ready for close encounters with axolotls, binturongs, colugos, dumbo octopuses, echidnas, fossas, gerenuks, hyraxes, ibex, jerboas, kiwis, lorises, maned wolves, naked mole rats, okapis, pangolins, quokkas, red pandas, saigas, thorny dragons, uakaris, vaquitas, water bears, xenopus, yeti crabs, and zebra duikers.

Genres: Picture Books, Animals, Nonfiction, Childrens, Storytime, Science, Nature

32 pages, Hardcover

Published March 29, 2022

Reviews

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pangolins and Red Pandas in one book? Yes please ☺️

[O.M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very nice. Indeed had quite a few unusual animals. I also liked the extra facts in the back of the book

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love that this book teaches kids about unusual animals. I bet most kids haven't seen most of the animals in this book.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here is a fun romp that allows young readers to not only learn about the alphabet but to also learn about some of the more interesting yet less talked about animals out in our world. And when they talk about unusual they really do deliver with creatures such as the xenopus frog, the colugo, quokkas, yeti crabs and so much more.

This brightly colored book starts off with a map that displays to the reader the various animals mentioned in the book and where they live. Added to this is a Meet the Animals section in the back that provides the reader with two to three more sentences of information such as loris means clown.

The actual writing for the book just provides a capital letter, which is colored to match the coloring of the animal name. This is then followed by two informative sentences that are made to rhyme with each other without being too cheesy.

And the illustrations are gorgeously adorable and brightly colored that they will make readers fall in love with these species. My only complaint, though, is that some of the secondary included animals like the tree frog with the red panda may not actually be part of the same local habitat but at this point I can overlook that.

This is most definitely one book I would recommend that parents, guardians or teachers share with their children while adding this to their personal libraries.

[Kalynne]

Date: 11.01.24
Attendees: 36
Theme: Alphabet
Introduction and announcements: My thumbs are starting to wiggle

Book one: Owls are Good at Keeping Secrets by Sara O'Leary

Song/rhyme/game one: There’s a Dog in School

Book two: A Busy Creature’s Day Eating by Mo Willems

Song/rhyme/game two: Egg Shaker Song by Mister Q

Book three: A is for Axolotl by Catherine Macorol

Song/ rhyme/ game three: ASL Alphabet

Activity: https://www.crayola.com/free-coloring...

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Young animal lovers will want to be sure to check this one out. Some of the world's rarest and most unusual creatures are on display in bold, cutout-style illustrations. Some of the rhymes are pretty rough; the book would have read so much more smoothly had it not tried to stretch everything into a rhyme.

[Katie Reilley · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible ABC animal book for the youngest of readers!

The rhyming text and watercolor illustrations take readers on an alphabet adventure throughout the world as they meet unusual animals. Front matter includes a map with the animal locations, and back matter includes a short informational blurb about each animal.

[Kaylee Harkness · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just read this to the kids as a bedtime story.
Beautiful illustrations! They kissed the Loris page !

I’m startled and humbled to learn about the water bears.
I ran to read it to my husband.
They curl into a ball and retract their heads and legs.
Reading truly is educational!!! I’ll remember this forever!!!

[Jenny Mock · Rating 5 out of 5]

Introduces the audience to a great variety of unusual animals. I only had one issue. On the cover you can see how to pronounce the name of the first animal. I was hoping this would either continue throughout the book or show up at the end in an appendix but no such luck. You will need to look up most of the animal names and practice them prior to a read aloud if you are not familiar with them.

[Bethe · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who can resist the adorable axolotl on the front cover? Uneven rhyming text describe 26 mostly uncommon critters from around the world. Illustrations are very pleasing. Back has more facts about each animal. There is a map but unfortunately no bibliography or any back matter for a serious NF book. More just a fun alphabet book with animals.

[Ms. B · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute alphabet book about less common and unfamiliar animals. Both alphabet enthusiasts will enjoy guessing what each animal starts with letter and young animal lovers will enjoy pouring over the facts about each animal.

[Abbigail · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute picture book about lesser known animals and ABCs with a sort of index at the back with a sentence or two of additional information, but I'm partial to books like this with real photos of the animals. This book has been super popular at our library.

[Steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished Catherine Macorol’s A is for Axolotl and it’s fascinating & informational BUT attainable for the youngest readers! I want to learn so much more about these animals now. :-)

[Candace Linn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is absolutely delightful! The images are beautiful and the animals included are wonderful! Highly recommend this book for all the little ones in your life!

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some very rare and unusual creatures!

[Rebecca Caufman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute pictures and rhyming text highlight an unusual animal for each letter of the alphabet. Each page lists the animal's name and a fact about them.

[SamSamSam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fun and very educational. It would be a great gift for a kid to pore over. I wish they didn't try so hard to rhyme. The rhymes are so janky. It DOESNT HAVE TO RHYME

[Elevetha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Exotic or unusual animal ABC. A good selection of different animals, some even I had not heard of! I liked the illustrations and the extra info on the animals in the back. The rhyming verses sometimes tried a little too hard though. Cute!

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute illustrations and interesting animals. The rhyming text didn't always work so well, but the additional info at the back of the book made for a good read.

[Stephanie]

Adorable! And love the illustrations!

[Jessica]

1

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book, but my daughter says the author could have included far more interesting and strange facts about each animal.

[Deborah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great! very unusual and great animals. More about them at the back of the book.



#JennyGuyColvin

[Mely · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
Adorable book. Quick, short information; perfect for little ones. Bright, bold, colorful illustrations; captures the attention of the reader.

[Kirsti · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of information and gorgeous illustrations. I didn't love some of the rhymes, but this book left me wanting to learn more. 4.5 stars, rounded up.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Learn about unusual animals from all over the world through rhyming lines. I wish there were phonetic pronunciations throughout the book, like there is on the cover for axolotl.

[Rachel Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cool animals instead of just the regular ones in typical books. Pictures are chunky and cute.

[Y.Poston]

a colorfully exotic exploration of the alphabet
through animals

[Kelly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, but I took away a star bc I don't think the rhyming always works. I would prefer just some fun facts. Also, pronunciation for all the animals on the page would be appreciated.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grabbed it initially because of the axolotl; then loved it for Wyoming Reads. Fun quick intros to unusual animals. Great writing prompt and concepts/abc.