Animalia (Picture Puffins)

This is an incredibly creative alphabet book! Each letter has a little story, the artwork illustrating the story, and many additional items to search for beginning with that letter. Additional fun is that hiding little boy named after the author, on each page😀. Was my son's all-time favorite book 20 years ago, now little 5 y/o girl I babysit for gets just as excited and determined to search for each letters' items pictured, and little boy Graham additional excitement to discover his hiding within each letters' pictures! Children then and now get really excited to open this book for the discovery mission! Fun, and informative, alphabet book.

My children loved this book in 1990 and now my grandchildren are delighting in the story and the artistic graphics. There is always something new that catches one’s eye.

Beautiful book that gives a child room for imagination! Not your typical abc book. Beautifully written, beautiful graphics! Your child will love this book!

Animalia is one of the first books I gift to family & friends of young kids. This helps teach the alphabet, animals & rhyming, in a fun way which includes hidden items to locate at each letter. Spent more than a few Christmas's on living room floor with kids, nephews, nieces and young cousins. We would usually get about 45 min. to an hour at a time of them being engaged in a quiet group activity. This was before this digital device age where two, three year olds & up are using phones & tablets wayyyyy to much time each day, that quiet analog time together is even more important now. Graeme Base is a fantastic artist with a good number of these kinds of books to spend quality time with your kids. I have found Animalia to be popular with younger kids (3 to 4 ish & up) which is why its one of the first I gift. I also highly reccomend "The Eleventh Hour". It is a mystery with puzzles for all ages above say 7 or so & up depending on interests, attention span, problem solving skills, etc. Even 3 letter agency staff have enjoyed that mystery book. I put Graeme Base books on par with Hayao Miyazaki movies for originality, artistry and story. Buy & enjoy, if you can tear them away from digital.

First off, our family LOVES anything Graeme Base, this book does not disappoint. The rich illustrations, the vocabulary, the hidden pictures (What else can you find that starts with L?), the alliteration... all of it is here. A child can spend hours on this book, and it's a great way to spend time with the kids. His books offer much for a reluctant readers. Second, I was looking for the 25th anniversary edition online and somehow happened upon this listing (I didn't find it through Amazon search engine). The listing didn't mention the book being 25th Anniversary Edition, but I bought it (for much cheaper than anywhere else online) because the picture showed the 25th Anniversary Edition. It arrived today and I was thrilled that it was indeed the anniversary edition. This particular edition comes with a poster on the inside of the jacket "that holds a riddle to be solved." As a side note, I saw this book at a local big box book store and was very disappointed in cover of the paperback. It looked like a poor photocopy. So, if you're trying to decide between paperback and hardcover, I would recommend hardcover... and buy it now while the 25th Edition is still being sold (look at the picture, you'll see "25th Anniversary Edition" at the top of the cover if it is). Also, in regards to the negative reviews.... I use anything that shocks me as a teachable moment with my child. How can I teach them to deal with the emotions associated with being exposed to something unusual? There is no doubt in my mind that my children are exposed to so many things that I would prefer them not to be exposed to on a daily basis. I don't set out to shelter them from these things, but offer advice and talk about the 'weird' things we see and that happen to us on a daily basis. It is our job as parents to prepare our kids for the Big World out there. Trust me, this book will not harm your child... get it.

This book is absolutely perfection. The gorgeous illustrations, clever words and hidden pictures. It was my favorite book when I was younger and I still pull it out to look through and see what I can find for each letter years later.

I am obsessed with Graeme Base's books. I don't have kids of my own, but have now purchased this book and the Eleventh Hour for friends' kids as his books are one of the lasting memories I have from early childhood reading. When I've bought these recently to gift, I found myself cracking open the pages myself to preview and having my interests reignited. His works are simply magical. I think I may pick one up for myself as a childless adult :). As to this book itself, I just gifted Animalia to a 6 year old this past Christmas. I gave him the Eleventh Hour last year. His parents told me he loved the Eleventh Hour, and this year upon receiving this, I thoroughly enjoyed watching him go over each page.. reading it to himself (he's an advanced reader) with his dad's help for some of the new larger vocab (like "diabolical" and "improvising"). He's definitely a bright kid, so I think how wonderful to introduce him to all these new words! And the pages are just so rich with detail... he was enjoying himself at finding the hidden little Graemes on every page and the additional letter-appropriate images (like a "hummingbird" and "hyena!"). Love it. For those who are worried about content or things like a swastika on the S page... I have no memory of negative thoughts from reading this as a child and also the swastika is a revered, holy symbol for many religions like Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism. It's a shame to have the nazi association, but first, little kids would not even know what it is, and second, if they do, this kind of teaching moment is really useful I think.

Book from my childhood... beautiful ART!

A wonderful and unique book of an alliterative alphabet, using fun pictures and rhyming, tongue-twister text for each letter. one example is 'A' - for alligator, 'B' - for butterfly, etc. The illustrations are lovely and humorous. I bought it many years ago for myself and my children, but have bought other copies since then for friends and family.

My daughter wanted this book for her son as she remembers having as a child..illustration great

los comentarios y premios y críticas me hicieron pensar que esto iba a ser espectacular. está bien: es bonito, las imágenes están muy bien, y seguramente a mi hija de 5 años le gustará buscar y mirar los dibujos, que es el objetivo del libro... pero no es espectacular.

Animalia is a delightful book. Beautiful illustrations! Readers, children and adults, will have fun identifying all the subjects which begin with a specific letter.

I first came across this book over 20 years ago and it still continues to amuse and intrigue. For those who aren't familiar with it, it's worth taking the opportunity to 'look inside'. As you'll see, there's a single or double page illustration for each letter of the alphabet. The objective is to find as many words beginning with that letter. What makes it special is that each illustration is a visual feast; more importantly, it's a fun way to challenge and expand your child's vocabulary. Suitable for 7-8 years upwards. One small point. In some editions, there is a section at the back of the book that lists the images/words on each page (useful, even for adults). However, the library edition does not have this feature.