Melusine by Sarah Monette

Melusine by Sarah Monette

Each page in this book features a color photograph of a member of the Animal Kingdom. It may be a mammal, a reptile or amphibian, an insect, a bird, a fish or a mysterious ocean creature. It might be enormous like an elephant or tiny like a spider. There are newborns, infants and adults. It could be fighting or eating, running or sleeping, alone or with its littermates or herd. There are mysterious close-ups to identify. And much more.

Concise text identifies the animals and describes the scene.

Some of the animals profiled:

• Otter -- a mammal like a fish
• Penguin -- warmth in groups
• Harlequin crab -- hiding in poison
• Chameleon -- all-direction eyes
• Kingfisher -- coughs up scales
• White rhinoceros -- is gray
• Hyena -- powerful jaws
• Emu -- superb runner
• Polar bear -- sensitive nose
• Cheetah -- fastest creature
• Wolf -- night vision
• Gorilla -- powerful vegetarian
• Cape buffalo -- defensive horns
• Wasps -- nests of chewed paper
• Alligators' love tricks
• Tigers love bathing
• Krill -- whale food by the ton
• Butterfly scales.

365 Incredible Animals is bright, colorful, informative and an ideal gift selection, for children especially.

Three Letters from the Queen of Elfland, a short tale by Sarah Monette, won the 2003 Spectrum Award. It's her debut novel, and it's a good one.