Meet the tiny-but-tough tardigrade and the awe-inspiring blue whale in this illustrated introduction to invertebrates , fish , amphibians , reptiles , birds , and mammals . Learn everything about more than 275 species , specially selected by natural historian Jules Howard and brought to life by the detailed artwork of Jarom Vogel. With fact panels breaking down each animal's most unique traits, as well as its habitat, size, and diet, every page in Encyclopedia of Animals is sure to introduce young readers to their new favorite critter. Beloved species like the African elephant, great white shark, and western gorilla get their own dedicated feature page, while more unusual species include the hellbender, Chan's megastick and pink fairy armadillo. Discover the shrimp that punches its prey with superheated water, marvel at the frog whose beating heart can be seen through its skin, and learn about the rarest turtle on the planet. If it bites, crawls, hops, flies, swings from the treetops, or dives to the bottom of the ocean, there's a good chance you'll find it in this encyclopedia! And be sure to check out Encyclopedia of Insects , a go-to guide crawling with incredible facts about this huge and diverse class of animal.