The Animal Body Book

As an introduction to anatomy and the way animal bodies have adapted to do such an extraordinary variety of things, this book could not be bettered. Written by TV presenter, vet and conservationist Jess French, familiar to the book’s audience no doubt from her CBeebies work, it is well-presented, comprehensive and respects readers’ intelligence. Colour-coded sections cover every aspect of anatomy from skeletons and muscles to circulation and respiration, and digestion and reproduction. Alongside high-quality photographs of animals – mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, invertebrates and amphibians – are cutaway illustrations by Jonathan Woodward allowing us to see from the inside exactly how these animals bodies work. From specific examples, such as how a giraffe can drink without blood flooding its brain, to general information like how nerves and the nervous system work, there’s a huge amount of information and the presentation makes it accessible and digestible and it’s likely to send readers on further journeys of discovery. An essential book for budding vets and a great addition to library and classroom collections.