My First Book Of Wild Animals

Adorable animal images and simple text make for a great read for the youngest learners.

A snowy owl flying, a giant panda climbing, a huge gray whale emerging from the waves: See these beautiful animals in the wild, where they belong. These amazing photos from the archives of the National Wildlife Federation showcase a menagerie of marvelous creatures. Children will look wide-eyed at a herd of wildebeests rushing through water; a mama brown bear attending to her adorable cubs; a smiling alligator, its powerful jaws opened wide; adult elephants protectively surrounding their young; and more. While enjoying their close-up look at this wonderful world of wildlife, kids will gain an early and lifelong appreciation for the marvelous creatures who also call Earth home.

The idea behind the boardbook collection was to attract even the youngest readers (from as young as 3 years old); to encourage them to discover subjects and areas that interest them (nature, animals, shapes, etc.) and to help them classify the things that surround them. The series is comprised of ten little books. Two are instructive, teaching shapes and numbers; five are exploratory and describe settings that are fun to discover (farm animals, wild animals, the backyard and its insects, the vegetable garden) and three are short stories about the experience of birth in nature (the birth of a little bird, of a butterfly and of a flower). Narration becomes the background for the text since touching and picture reading are the primary means of interpretation. A guiding character accompanies the child throughout each developing story until the end, where there is a summary of all the characters introduced in the book. Consistent with the Montessori approach, the child is encouraged to interact independently with his or her book. For example, in some cases, the child is asked to use a finger to trace the outline of a shape and notice its characteristics (round, sharp-edged, jagged, etc.). In others, he or she is asked to use a finger to follow a path in order to discover hidden characters and learn to associate them with their most distinctive features (the lion's tail, the rabbit's ears, the colours of vegetables, etc.). AGES: 3 plus AUTHORS: Chiara Piroddi is a psychologist and expert in Neuropsychology, specialising in Cognitive-Evolutionary Psychotherapy. She graduated in Psychology at the University of Pavia in 2007 and continued as a teaching assistant for the Chair of Physiological Psychology, and as a lecturer in Practical Neuropsychology Training at the same academic institution. She completed her practical training at the Niguarda Ca' Granda Hospital in Milan, where she has worked since 2008, acquiring clinical experience in children with serious mental and physical disabilities of all ages. Agnese Baruzzi graduated in Graphic Design at ISIA (Istituto Superiore per le Industrie Artistiche) in Urbino. She has worked as an illustrator and author since 2001, writing more than 40 children's books that have been published in Italy, the UK, Japan, Portugal, the US, France and South Korea.

A sweet tiger cub, padding softly on its paws across the ground. A little lion getting its head nuzzled by mama as they soak in the sun. Two young kangaroos—joeys—at play. An infant chimpanzee, clinging lovingly to its mother’s back. Nothing’s more irresistible than an animal baby, and with these magnificent photos, kids can meet the cutest ones of all, and their families, too. From two fox kits climbing on logs, to an adorable baby bunny, to a trio of polar bears huddling close to stay warm, to penguins, polar bears, eaglets, and foals, these precious creatures will fascinate human "cubs"—and entice them to look at the pictures over and over again.

Featuring spectacular images straight from the vaults of the National Wildlife Federation, these should be the very first books to introduce children to animals from around the world. Every photo shows these creatures in their natural habitats. Each books in the series carries the logo and name of the National Wildlife Federation. These are not just board books, but the first books that any toddler will love and adults will enjoy reading. Each full page spread is a story by itself. See the lions arguing but the walrus can’t bear to watch. The baby sea lion wants to play and the organgutan wants to play too. The chipmunk tells the polar bear to stop, and the polar bear does. Fantastic photos of wildlife combined with funny comments to make these a new kind of board book.

Adorable animal images and simple text make for a great read for the youngest learners.

Bright photographs and simple text identify various animals.

A lively tale sure to be loved by fans of The Mitten Originally published in 1985, Annie and the Wild Animals is back in a large hardcover format with a striking new jacket that makes this new edition the perfect gift for young readers. Annie's cat, Taffy, disappears and she is lonely. She looks for a friendly, furry pet near the woods, but a giant moose, a grumpy bear and others show up to eat her corn cakes until they are all gone. They leave, and to Annie's surprise, out of the woods comes Taffy with her three new kittens.