(NOTE: I was given a copy of this book to review but all opinions are my own.)
What does a dogface butterfly, chocolate dip damsel fish, striped pajama squid, and a bone-eating snot flower worm have in common?
Are you stumped?
They are all part of the wacky menagerie of creatures with bizarre names found in the book The Screaming Hairy Armadillo and 76 Other Animals with Weird, Wild Names by Matthew Murrie and Steve Murrie. (The authors are a father-son duo.)
Oh the creatures you’ll find!
Like the fried egg jellyfish. (I’ll take 2 with a side of hash browns, please.)
And the spined assassin bug that injects digestive enzymes into its victims that turns the victim’s innards into a delectable goo.
And the aye-aye which possesses dangerous magic — well at least according to the local natives in Madagascar.
And then there’s also the monkey-face prickleback, sarcastic fringehead, goblin shark, the tasseled wobbegong, and many more!
Wow!
The fun names in the book aren’t limited just to the creatures in the book. It also applies to the titles of the chapters: Magical Names, Delicious Names, Fierce Names, Dreadful Names of the Deep, and Just-Plain-Weird Names to mention a few. So clever!
This book explains the scientific name, habitat, and some fun facts about these unusual critters like their curious habits, peculiar appearances, and extraordinary abilities. It’s a great way for kids to soak up some science information as they learn about the world around them.
The true test of a book for kids is whether or not kids like it. So of course I had to check it out with some of my grandkids.
So, did they like it?
Indeed they did! They not only liked it they were excited when I told them they could take the book home with them. (You would have thought it was Christmas they were so excited!)
This book is for children ages 7-10. You can buy a copy on Amazon for $14.95.
