Book Reviews Reviews

Book review: Questions & Answers — Animals

Omair Alavi|Published April 4, 2020

Do you know why Tigers have stripes? Why do Spiders leave their home? How Penguin Chicks keep themselves warm in extreme cold conditions? And which animal from the Ape family loves their mom the most? If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then you might be in need of Miles Kelly’s Questions & Answers – Animal book that will enlighten you in many ways. It is one of the best gifts to your children or their friends as it answers all of their queries regarding the animals around them, and those they see on TV.

The well-researched book is divided into three categories: Big Cats, Baby Animals, and Monkeys & Apes. In the first section, all kinds of cats from domestic ones to King of the jungle are discussed in simple words.

The second section talks about all kinds of Baby Animals including Giraffes, Foxes, Sloths and Rabbits to name a few. The third and final section deals with Animals belonging to the family of Apes, which includes Orang-Utans, Chimpanzees, Gorillas, and of course Monkeys. With such categories, it is quite impossible to miss some of the animals, and that’s what makes this a must-read book for all kids.

That’s not all. Each page starts with a question that is then answered in an easy language, with the help of photographs, cartoons and illustrations. Each page has an instruction for the younger readers such as ‘Make’ where the readers are encouraged to create something related to the subject of that page; ‘Imagine’ propels them to do stuff that animals being discussed on that page do; ‘Find’ sends them on a journey to search stuff from within the house; ‘Ask’ lets them pose questions to a grownup; ‘Draw’ compels them to use their artistic cells, ‘Play’ lets them venture into the land of pretend and ‘Think’ takes them on a thinking trip, all regarding animals.

And then there is the Quiz Time at the end of each chapter that features questions from pages that you have just finished. Not only does that help in refreshing the information your kids have acquired while going through the book, but it also gives parents a chance to test their kids’ memories. This book isn’t just limited to youngsters but older people as well who have a keen interest in zoology, the branch of biology that deals with animals. After all, not many grown-ups know most of the things in these 100 pages, so why not study it with kids and come out as more knowledgeable than before.

Published in Dawn, Young World, April 4th, 2020

About the author

Omair Alavi

Omair Alavi is a highly regarded journalist, critic, and commentator, specializing in news, sports, showbiz, film, blogs, articles, drama, reviews, and PTV drama. With extensive experience and a keen eye for storytelling, he captivates audiences with his insightful analysis and compelling presentations. His expertise and contributions have made him a prominent figure in the media and entertainment industry.