Frozen Wild: How Animals survive in the Coldest Places on Earth by Jim Arnosky [Review & Giveaway]

ISBN: 9781454910251 - $14.95 ($16.95 Can)
Sterling Children's Books ~ Ages 6-10

About the book: Young explorers and animal enthusiasts are in for a treat with Frozen Wild: How Animals survive in the Coldest Places on Earth (Sterling Children’s Books, Sept. 2015).

Kids can bundle up and join award-winning author, illustrator, and naturalist Jim Arnosky as he ventures into the cold to follow otters, beavers, moose, polar bears, penguins, fur seals, and other fascinating creatures to learn how they cope with the frigid weather. Stunning art and five magnificent foldouts reveal worlds under the ice and up to the farthest, frostiest reaches of the globe, capturing fascinating creatures in their natural habitats.

My thoughts: As Winter begins to close in, creatures of every description begin to prepare themselves for what lies ahead. As humans, adults and children alike, we have managed to secure warm housing, food aplenty, and adequate clothing. But what about the animals in these cold climates? Ever wonder just how they manage to survive?

The author and illustrator, Jim Arnosky, has a wonderful book replete with fold-out pages that show just how some of these creatures live and thrive in the sub-sub-cold. His illustrations are particularly beautifully, detailed, and articulately accurate.

Details of animals going under the ice for survival, of migrating or swimming in Arctic waters with waterproof fur or extra thick layer of fat (blubber), growing extra fur or downy layers to insulate them from the snow and cold. Amazing! Mr. Arnosky illustrates the portion of the globe where these creatures live and informational details such as "no actual pole at the North Pole, it is a measurement." Or actual degrees Fahrenheit at the South Pole. (If we think "0" degrees Fahrenheit is cold, try -135.8 degrees Fahrenheit.)

The "Author's Note" at the back of the book is enlightening with facts as well and he says, "From pole to pole,our beautiful blue planet is an oasis of life spinning slightly tilted through space. And it is that tilt creating our seasons that has fostered a diversity of interconnected living things that we are only beginning to truly understand."

A book Chat With Vera highly recommends and encourages parents and librarians everywhere to obtain a copy.

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Author/illustrator: Artist and naturalist Jim Arnosky has been honored for his overall contribution to literature for children by the Eva L. Gordon Award and the Washington Post/Children’s Book Guild Award for nonfiction. Many of his books have been chosen as ALA Notable Books, including Wild Tracks! A Guide to Nature’s Footprints and Thunder Birds: Nature’s Flying Predators, which was also included on the Bluebonnet Master List for the state of Texas. Jim lives in South Ryegate, VT. Please visit jimarnosky.com to learn more.

Images in review are reprinted with permission from Frozen Wild © 2015 by Jim Arnosky, Sterling Children’s Books, an imprint of Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. Illustrations by Jim Arnosky.

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a complimentary copy from Sterling Children's Books on behalf of the author to facilitate this review. Opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.