First Steps Animal Encyclopedia – From the Desert to the Arctic

Description

From polar bears to macaws, where do these animals come from?
The grandfather's story of running after a fox on his way to school and being late for it has long since become a legend. Where do children these days have the most access to live animals? Aside from the children of farmers and their pets, it's probably the zoo. Zoos offer a vast array of animals to see. Elephants, monkeys, polar bears, and camels are by far the most popular among children. But how many children realize that these animals actually live in completely different environments?

For animals, habitat is more than just a place to stay. Everything about their ecology, from their appearance to their diet and reproduction, is tied to their habitat. Therefore, it's impossible to truly understand an animal without understanding its habitat. This book allows you to encounter animals from polar regions, deserts, and tropical rainforests within their natural habitats.

Children will encounter polar bears leaping powerfully into the sea for food on the vast icecaps of the Arctic, and emperor penguins waddling across the icy lands of Antarctica. They will also encounter camels silently trudging through the dry, sandy desert, rattlesnakes terrifying their enemies with their clattering sounds, and bald monkeys hopping from tree to tree like circus performers. After seeing these living, breathing animals in their natural habitats, their encounters with animals at the zoo will be transformed. After reading this book, won't children, upon seeing a macaw in its cage, imagine themselves as magnificent birds soaring through the green rainforest skies?

Animals that survive year-round in cold places and year-round in hot places.
For children living in places with distinct seasons, the very idea of ​​places that are cold year-round and places that are hot year-round is intriguing. Stories about animals enduring extreme cold, thirst, and heat in such places will especially pique their interest and curiosity, sparking a desire to learn more. Indeed, this book is filled with fascinating and surprising stories about the appearance and lifestyles of these animals.

Polar bears have white fur, but beneath it, their skin is black. The white fur provides excellent camouflage in the snow-covered Arctic, and their black skin helps them absorb heat and maintain body temperature. Camels, on the other hand, have nostrils that can open and close. When sandstorms are particularly strong, they close their nostrils to prevent sand from entering their nostrils. Camels can even go up to a month without drinking water. Rattlesnakes and scorpions that live in the desert are inactive during the day, emerging to hunt at dusk. This is because the desert is extremely hot during the day due to the large temperature difference between day and night, and the sandy ground is extremely hot. These nocturnal rattlesnakes have heat-sensing devices beneath their eyes, allowing them to accurately locate prey based on body heat, even when vision is limited. Meanwhile, animals living in the trees of tropical rainforests often have long, human-like big toes or toes that point in opposite directions. This allows them to grip branches tightly and remain in the tree trunk.

Stories about animals that adapt to their environments in such remarkable ways go beyond mere curiosity and wonder, awakening children to the mystery and dignity of life and enriching their emotions. Educator Craig identified two key concepts to address when exploring animals at the early childhood level: "interdependence," the idea that living things depend on one another, and "adaptation," the idea that living things adapt to their environment. The images and ecology of wild animals adapting to extreme environments are undoubtedly excellent topics for instilling these concepts.

What is the relationship between people, animals, and nature?
In ancient times, people living in the Arctic region actively utilized animals to survive in harsh environments. They used the skins of bears, walruses, and reindeer to build tents, boats, and clothing. They also used reindeer to pull sleds loaded with goods, and ate their milk and meat. Desert dwellers drank camel milk and made clothing from camel hair. Camels, known as the "ships of the desert," have been and still are an excellent means of transportation in the desert. Furthermore, people have always learned from animals. Even today, the unique ecological characteristics of certain animals provide ideas for developing useful technologies. For example, the heat-sensing mechanisms of rattlesnakes inspired the development of missiles capable of sensing external heat, and scientists have even developed fabrics that change color based on the environment by studying the color changes of chameleons.

By reading these stories, children will realize how much of human life owed to animals before the advancements in science reached today. Furthermore, by witnessing the stories of animals losing their habitats or facing extinction due to human greed rather than survival, the crises caused by environmental pollution, and the small efforts people make to protect animals, they will have the opportunity to reflect on the proper attitude toward nature.

In tropical rainforests, the dense canopy of trees makes it difficult for seeds to disperse by wind. Instead, seed-eating animals like marabou monkeys play a vital role in dispersing seeds by roaming and defecating. This fact prompts us to reconsider the relationship between humans and the natural environment, including plants and animals.

Correct understanding of animals
In children's books and animated films, animal ecology is often distorted (for example, polar bears are often portrayed as slow and docile, despite being very intelligent and agile), and some animals are portrayed as villains (animals like rattlesnakes and scorpions are always portrayed as villains simply because they are venomous). These kinds of books and animated films can subtly instill in children incorrect prejudices and unnecessary fears. This book teaches children that the ecology and unique appearance of wild animals are a desperate struggle to survive in extreme environments. This helps children overcome incorrect prejudices and vague fears about certain animals and view them objectively and scientifically. Furthermore, children will learn to break free from egocentric thinking and develop a deeper understanding of other living beings.

Easy configuration and impressive screen
There are currently several books available in bookstores about regions with very different natural environments. However, these books focus on habitats or natural environments rather than individual animals. Because they cover multiple animals on a single page, they tend to be cluttered and difficult for young children to engage with. Furthermore, most of these books are translations.

<Animal Encyclopedia: From the Desert to the Arctic: First Steps> is divided into three chapters: "Animals of the Polar Regions," "Animals of the Desert," and "Animals of the Tropical Rainforest." Each chapter contains information about the animals living in that region, organized by individual. Furthermore, information about each individual is organized into categories such as "Appearance and Body Structure," "Unique Ecological Characteristics," "Reproductive Characteristics," and "Relationships with Humans," making it easier for children to find the content they're interested in. The book's effective use of diverse visual imagery—including striking photographs, poignant details, clear explanatory cuts, and amusing comic cuts—makes the book's content more engaging and impactful.

About the author
Written by Choi Hyeong-seonHe graduated from Ewha Womans University's Department of Biology and received his Ph.D. in Ecology from the same university. He then worked as a researcher in microbial ecology at the University of Delaware in the United States and lectured at Ewha Womans University and Sungkyunkwan University. His publications include "Holocene Dinosaurs" and "Children's Ecology I, II." In this book, the author uses explanatory text that is accurate yet accessible, concise yet not stiff, and suitable for children. Furthermore, the author does not stop at explaining each animal as an isolated entity, but considers the relationship between animals and their habitats, the relationship between plants and animals in their habitats, and the relationship between animals themselves. The author's perspective as an ecologist is well-reflected throughout the book.

Painted in detail Kim Myung-gilHe graduated from the Department of Western Painting at Sungshin Women's University and studied illustration at the Hankyoreh Illustration School. In 2002, he published his first picture book, "There's a Night Island," which vividly depicts the ecology of animals through precise yet emotionally detailed drawings.

Drawn auxiliary cuts and comic cuts excluding details Kim and IrangHe graduated from Hongik University's College of Fine Arts and is currently working as an illustrator. He has primarily worked on computer-based illustration, but is currently studying picture books with a keen interest in them. His cheerful and imaginative illustrations make books more accessible and approachable.