Extreme Animal Facts

By Jennifer Cossins, 

Reviewed by Dajo Finlayson. 

Jennifer Cossins is the bestselling, CBCA award winning Tasmanian author and illustrator of nonfiction information books. These predominantly reflect her great passion for nature and, in particular, the animal kingdom. She has written more than 10 books on these topics including A-Z of Australian Animals,  A-Z of Endangered Animals,  Book of Curious Birds, Amazing Animal Journeys, A Flamboyance of Flamingos, 101 Collective Nouns and many more.

There are many wonderful nonfiction books on animals for children and this one is no exception, however in addition to the usual facts about animals presented in other books Ms Cossins has added many interesting categories such as animals with the best sense of smell, those with the most unusual mating rituals, those with the strongest bite, the smallest, the largest, the smelliest and several more providing a range of comparative facts, somewhat like a Guinness Book of Records of the animal world.

In hardcover and beautifully illustrated in vibrant colour by the author herself this book explores over 140 of the world’s most extraordinary animals and also includes a glossary of relevant terms as well as appropriately illustrated and colourful endpapers. Resources for teachers are available on the publisher’s website.

Fascinating facts and a must have for all inquisitive animal lovers both young and old.

Lothian Children’s Books, 2024

Jennifer Cossins