A lavishly illustrated who's who of the animal kingdom. Firefly Encyclopedia of Animals is a stunning new reference guide to 840 members of the Animal Kingdom from every continent -- North and South America, Africa, Europe, Asia and Australia. More than 1,000 commissioned full-color watercolors, photographs and distribution maps describe the animal world for readers of all ages. From the smallest mouse to the largest whale, this book offers a detailed and thorough guide to a wide array of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish, as well as insects, spiders and other invertebrates. Firefly Encyclopedia of Animals presents accurate, succinct and essential information, as follows: General descriptions of animal Orders and Families Common and species names Shared characteristics in animal groups Describes size, distribution, anatomy, ecology migration, habitats and survival skills Features on animal behavior Accurate labeled illustrations and maps Wildlife conservation and updates on endangered animals. In addition to the principal text, there are side illustrations throughout along with fast-fact panels. Written in clear language that will engage readers of all ages, this authoritative reference is ideal for home and school, where it will be especially useful for natural history reports. Read Less