Stephen Jackson, experienced ecologist and Whitley medal winner for best natural history book, and Peter Schouten, a major wildlife artist, have collaborated to show how a truly excellent natural history book for both expert and popular audiences can be done. Their subject is gliding mammals of the world. But for the wildlife enthusiast, biologist, museum professional, or fan of animal art, the subject could be anything. Schouten's watercolor paintings are visually breathtaking and meticulously accurate, with wash backgrounds and a sense of line both startlingly contemporary and reminiscent of the best classical Chinese paining; there may be no better artist working in the natural history field today. The animals themselves are beautiful and colorful. Jackson manages, in brief, clear, informal, enjoyable prose, to give readers an overview of relevant paleontology, biology, classification, ecology, and field anecdotes from 20 years of observation (Long-eared Scaly-tailed flying squirrels float in clouds like specks of ash, Mbuti pygmies burn the skins of Pei's Scaly-tail to make a medicine that renders their enemies helpless). Both author and artist have based their accounts on exhaustive research, and it is interesting to note that published descriptions of an animal's appearance often do not match the visual information. Each species rates a full-page, full color painting, with a facing page of information including common and binomial names, taxonomic family, description, distribution, diet, reproduction, ecology, subspecies, and IUCN conservation status. A range map and head-body, tail, and hind foot lengths and body mass are included. Appendices include a list of subspecies, which species can be seen where in each region of the world, and an exhaustive bibliography. In this gorgeous and informative format, what instantly emerges is how little is known of such glorious animals, and how many of them are threatened or population unknown. Jackson and Schouten have offered both scientists and general readers the best kind of spur to action: awakening our sense of wonder. A must for libraries with natural history, mammalogy, or illustration holdings. Oversize: 10 x 13. Distributed in the US by Stylus Publishing. Annotation ©2013 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)