Disclosure: I received Volumes 1 and 2 of Curious Critters for this review. No other compensation was received. The thoughts and feelings expressed are my own.
Title: Curious Critters Volumes 1 and 2
Suggested Retail: $19.95 each
Author: David FitzSimmons
Hardcover with Dustcover
I had the opportunity to check out the first volume of Curious Critters a couple years ago and recently volume two was released. David FitzSimmons, award-winning author and photographer, captures more awesome images and fun facts for children to enjoy. David uses subjects that are actually found in his own backyard against a white background to create these stunning images. The first volume of Curious Critters won five national book awards!
Another new feature to Curious Critters is two audio books being available. Mr. FitzSimmons found some diverse voice over actors and actresses to help bring the animals to life. You can catch a sampling of the voices at http://www.wildirispublishing.
When writing Curious Critters, David envisioned each animal talking to him and wrote down what he thought they would be saying to him. The two audio books capture a total of forty-one animals.
I think it is wonderful to have non-fiction books that focus on creatures of nature and share them in an exciting and enlightening ways. Curious Critters showcases tidbits of animal behavior, diet, life cycles, and habitats. The books are geared for ages 4 and above.
Take a glance at some of David’s captivating images below.
Curious Critters 2 is filled with other fascinating fauna, including a beautiful butterfly, a Spanish-speaking armadillo, a mathematical moth, a bellowing alligator, a back flipping beetle, and other amazing animals. It is not only entertaining but also educational. Before David began composing the short vignettes accompanying each photo, he reviewed national science education standards. Curious Critters addresses all the National Research Council’s life science standards for grades K-4.
To learn more about the author, David FitzSimmons, please visit http://blog.sigmaphoto.com/tag/david-fitzsimmons/.
The Curious Critter’s web site, www.curious-critters.com, has additional resources, including puzzles, coloring pages, e-cards, teacher aids, and stories about the making of the book. Stay tuned for Curious Critters Volume 3 that is coming soon with animals from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans and the Gulf of Mexico.
