There are Amphibians Everywhere

Despite this being the sixth book in the series this is the first one I have read, and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. From its gold foiled front cover, to its attractive endpapers, this is a fascinating study of amphibians, which exist all over the world. The ‘Can you find?’ the Macaya breast-spot frog on the final pages is a good idea too.

Rich language is used throughout the book which is clearly laid out and brightly coloured. The author explains that the word amphibian means ‘double life’, and we learn that there is a considerable number of these creatures. ‘There are more than 7,800 species of frogs and toads’ (p.8), ‘More than 825 species of salamander have been discovered so far’ (p.9) and ‘There are at least 225 species of caecilian’ (p.9). The characteristics of amphibians, their habitats, history, movement and feeding can all be discovered in this publication.

This gorgeously produced volume is full of interesting facts, for example, ‘Siberian wood frogs have special chemicals, called antifreeze, in their blood to stop them from freezing in extreme cold’ (p.12). I was fascinated to learn that frogs have two types of teeth, one type to ‘crush the prey’ and the other to ‘hold the prey still so it can be swallowed’ (p.18). The stunning two-page spread entitled ‘Tropical Terrors’ (pp.26-27) is impressive, detailing the amphibians living in Central and South America.

Towards the end of the non-fiction book the reader is enlightened regarding how these creatures are helping medical research in growing new limbs, and the effect that climate change is having on amphibians.

This would be perfect for a curious child or budding scientist and would be very useful in a school classroom or library. The addition of a contents page or index would aid accessibility as there is a lot of fascinating material within these covers.