Ocean State Libraries

"A lively, illustrated exploration of the 500-million-year history of bone, a touchstone for understanding vertebrate life and human culture. Bone is ubiquitous and versatile, and uniquely repairs itself without scarring. However, we rarely see bone in its living state--and even then, mostly in two-tone images that only hint at its marvels. After it serves and protects vertebrate lives, bone reveals itself in surprising ways, sometimes hundreds of...

From the authors of A Gap in Nature, a breathtaking visual adventure showcasing ninety of the world's most astounding creatures. Sumptuous birds of paradise, amazing soft-shell turtles, frogs that look like tomatoes, and terrifying fish (including the deep-water angler fish from Finding Nemo) are just some of the extraordinary creatures that can be found in Tim Flannery and Peter Schouten's new book, Astonishing Animals. Superbly illustrated in lifelike...

Simple text and illustrations introduce the characteristics of the major groups of vertebrates: fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals.