Like No Other: Earth's Coolest One-of-a-Kind Creatures

by Sneed B. Collard III, Christopher Silas Neal (Illustrator)

Overview

This fascinating look at thirteen unusual animals, many of them rare or endangered, introduces the remarkable world of monotypic animals—those without any close relatives.

One-of-a-kind animals can be as familiar as the platypus or as unfamiliar as the purple frog. These fascinating and mysterious species belong to an exclusive club of living things: those with no close living relatives, making them monotypic species. Meet more than a dozen of these creatures (including humans!), learn what makes them unique, and explore the relationships among species on the evolutionary tree. Written by NCTE Orbis Pictus award-winning author Sneed B. Collard III, this fascinating nonfiction picture book is ideal for kids, teachers, and librarians and includes extensive back matter and activities.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781662670084
Publisher:	Astra Publishing House
Publication date:	06/18/2024
Sold by:	Penguin Random House Publisher Services
Format:	eBook
Pages:	40
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Sneed B. Collard III is the author of more than eighty-five books for children and young people. His Beaks! title (Charlesbridge, 2002) has sold more than 200,000 copies in paperback, and continues to sell. His work has received the Eureka! Nonfiction Silver Medal, the High Plains Books Award, made the Junior Library Guild Selection list, and received many starred reviews from Booklist, School Library Journal, and others.

Christopher Silas Neal is an award-winning author and illustrator of picture books, including the acclaimed Over and Under series with author Kate Messner, which was praised for its "stunning retro-style illustrations" (New York Times). Neal's author debut Everyone was praised by Publishers Weekly as "simple, honest, lyrical.” His board books Animal Colors and Animal Shapes received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Kirkus. He speaks about his books, the art-making process, and his career at schools, conferences, libraries, and book festivals across the country. Neal is a Mexican/European-American artist who lives with his wife and two boys in Brooklyn, NY.

Editorial Reviews

"Every animal may be unique, but some species are truly one-of-a-kind. A baker’s dozen of very different creatures star in this visually impressive and informative book... (with) large, stunningly detailed, close-up color illustration(s)... (and) excellent backmatter. A striking book that celebrates the astonishing diversity of the animal world."—Kirkus Reviews

"Neal's digitally enhanced mixed-media illustrations provide clear depictions of each animal in its natural habitat...His naturalistic style will help readers identify salient features mentioned in the text...while background details convey additional information...Generous back matter and activities round out what will be a browser's delight." —Booklist

From the Publisher

2024-04-05
Every animal may be unique, but some species are truly one of a kind.

A baker’s dozen of very different creatures star in this visually impressive and informative book. Each has no close relatives in the animal kingdom and is distinguished by unusual traits or behaviors, clearly and succinctly described here. Australia’s platypuses split off from other mammals 166 million years ago and are among the only mammals to lay eggs. The tuatara, found in New Zealand, is part of an order of reptiles that evolved 200 million years ago, when Earth consisted of the supercontinent Pangea. The aye-aye, a type of lemur that’s native to Madagascar, has incisors that never stop growing, while the leatherback sea turtle, which lives in oceans all over the world, is far larger than other turtles and can swim up to a mile below the surface. Finally, there’s Homo sapiens, distinguished by our big brains and capacity for language. (Chimps, orangutans, and gorillas, our closest living relatives, belong to a different scientific family.) Each entry also lists the creature’s height, weight, and lifespan and features a large, stunningly detailed, close-up color illustration. Excellent backmatter offers would-be scientists more information on classifying animals, along with a glossary, relevant websites, notes on researching and taxonomy, and a map with the 13 animals and more one of a kinds.

A striking book that celebrates the astonishing diversity of the animal world. (Informational picture book. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews