Amphibians include animals like frogs, salamanders and caecilians.  The book starts with an overview of all amphibians and then goes into 22 unique amphibian species.  Two species are even found in Illinois, the American Bullfrog and the American Toad.  The book includes poisonous amphibians, a creature once believed to be a baby dragon, and a frog that can”fly” to a tree 50 feet away.  A “Fun Fact” is included in each creature’s chapter.  The end of the book includes a map where the 22 species are found in the world, a glossary of scientific terminology, and some additional resources to learn more.

There is a good flow of detail from the more broad introduction into the chapters about specific amphibians.  Each chapter does not rehash all the same material about the life cycle but tries to introduce what makes each species more unique.  The photographs are vibrant and accompanied by brief captions.  Some base knowledge is needed, like what are gills versus lungs, making this book better suited to third grade and up.  If this book is enjoyed, I would also recommend others in the Essential Animal series owned by our library: Essential Fish, Essential Birds, Essential Invertebrates, Essential Mammals, and Essential Reptiles.

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