Reference Reviews

Lawrence Looks at Books

The Atlas of the World’s Most Dangerous Animals: Mapping Nature’s Born Killers. Paula Hammond. 224p. New York: Marshall Cavendish, 2010. 978-0-7614-7870-6; 2008-44960. $69.95.

This British guide was originally published in 2004 by Amber Books and is now being distributed by Marshall Cavendish for a wider international market. The volume introduces students to the behavior of 50 of the world’s most dangerous creatures. The arrangement is geographical with a selection of species presented from each continent (excepting Antarctica) and the world’s oceans. Many of the featured animals are familiar mammalian predators like the lion, cheetah, leopard, grey wolf, grizzly bear and jaguar. Other mammals include the Tasmanian devil, hippopotamus, mongoose, leopard seal and wild boar. Reptiles are the next most numerous entries with rattlesnakes, cobras, crocodiles, frilled lizards and Gila monsters among those presented. The Eurasian lammergeyer is the sole avian representative, but the coverage also includes locust, poison arrow frogs, scorpions, piranha and spiders. The dangers of the oceans are depicted by seven species including orcas, stingrays and the blue-ringed octopus. Each entry consists of a four-page spread illustrating the animal’s distinguishing physical characteristics, hunting behaviors, favorite prey, range and threats. Many entries also include comparisons to similar species. With entries on selected endangered species, there is some overlap with The Atlas of Endangered Animals: Wildlife under Threat around the World (Amber Books, 2006; Marshall Cavendish, 2010). The hundreds of full-color illustrations make this volume particularly attractive for visually-oriented, younger audiences. This volume is sure to excite readers in middle school and public libraries.