<p> A lavishly illustrated who's who of the animal kingdom. </p><p> <i>Firefly Encyclopedia of Animals</i> 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. </p><p> 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. </p><p> <i>Firefly Encyclopedia of Animals</i> presents accurate, succinct and essential information, as follows: <ul> <li> General descriptions of animal Orders and Families </li> <li> Common and species names </li> <li> Shared characteristics in animal groups </li> <li> Describes size, distribution, anatomy, ecology migration, habitats and survival skills </li> <li> Features on animal behavior </li> <li> Accurate labeled illustrations and maps </li> <li> Wildlife conservation and updates on endangered animals. </li> </ul></p><p> In addition to the principal text, there are side illustrations throughout along with fast-fact panels. </p><p> 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. </p>