Bookishness, Vintage Book Wednesday

Animals Everywhere!

This week’s vintage book comes from Ingri and Edgar Parin d’Aulaire.

d'aulaire animal book

I grew up reading some of the d’Aulaires’ better-known books, including [amazon text=George Washington&asin=0964380315], [amazon text=Abraham Lincoln&asin=1893103269], and their [amazon text=Book of Greek Myths&asin=0440406943]. However, when I started teaching, I realized that these classics often included outdated history and viewpoints that today we consider racist. As a result, I chose not to use these books in my classroom.

When I saw Animals Everywhere on the shelf at Bound to Be Read Books, I was curious. The d’Aulaires’ illustrations have always been magical, and their writing is both accessible and engaging for children, so I was hoping that this book would live up to those expectations without some of the inaccuracies I’ve come to expect.

animal bookI was thrilled to find this book filled with gorgeous illustrations, and simple but accurate text about animals in different parts of the world. It’s a great introduction for young children to the idea that different animals live in different climates, without going into too much detail.

Animals Everywhere does include some unusual animals, like the narwhal and the eider duck, and my girls had fun finding each one on the page. They also spent some time laughing at the authors’ descriptions of the sounds that the animals make.

animal book for kids

The book was reprinted in a [amazon text=new edition&asin=1590172264], making it easier to find than I would have anticipated. If you’re a d’Aulaire fan looking for one of their books you can use without worry, this is one worth considering.