A completely new, visually driven encyclopedia that captures the essence of each creature through short sentences and illustrations that show its features at a glance! This new book comes from author Numagasa Watari, whose adorable illustrations and quirky humor have sparked an encyclopedia craze in Japan. The book became an instant bestseller, selling over 100,000 copies in just 10 days in Japan, and it topped both Amazon Japan and Rakuten Books charts even before its official release. Having already gained the passionate support of over 70,000 followers during its SNS serialization, the book's release sparked an even bigger reaction. Reviews flooded social media with comments like 'It's amazing how quickly my child got hooked on this book' and 'My kid burst out laughing on every single page.' Did you know the tiger, king of the jungle, actually only succeeds in hunting about 5% of the time? Or that the lion, king of beasts, is actually quite lazy and often lets the females do the hunting? This book is packed with fascinating facts that will spark curiosity in kids and adults alike—like the giant otter that smiles while attacking crocodiles, the sea otter that risks floating away if it neglects its fur care, the seahorse where the male gives birth to the babies, and what happens if you open an umbrella at a charging wild boar. Combined with the author's signature bold, witty illustrations and clever commentary, this makes for a truly unique encyclopedia of creatures. As the author says, 'Whether you're a child or an adult, what matters most is curiosity.' If you have even the slightest interest in the fascinating world of living creatures, you'll thoroughly enjoy this 'delightful' encyclopedia. This book vividly reveals not just the well-known 'appearances' of familiar creatures, but also the surprising 'hidden sides' we never knew about! Just as a person's looks can be misleading—someone who looks scary might actually be kind, while someone who seems gentle might have quite a temper—the same is true for creatures. Animals we think we know well often have amazing hidden traits, while seemingly ordinary creatures may possess astonishing abilities once you look closer. From creatures that will make you go 'Wait, this exists?' or 'How did it end up looking like this?' to mysterious creatures that remain largely unexplained, all living things continue to evolve and thrive in their own remarkable ways. This book introduces over 100 different species, ranging from familiar animals like lions, tigers, and zebras to unusual creatures with names you may have never heard before, like the barreleye fish, the clione, and the axolotl. Each creature is introduced across two pages: the 'Appearance' page presents commonly known basic information, while the 'Hidden Side' page reveals surprising ecological facts or episodes that are completely different from—or previously unknown alongside—the creature's familiar image. While this encyclopedia breaks away from the traditional, information-heavy format in favor of an easy and entertaining approach, it doesn't skip out on the essentials. The bottom of each 'Appearance' page includes must-have reference details such as classification, size, diet, and habitat. This is a completely new kind of encyclopedia that stays true to the fundamentals while introducing amazing, astonishing, and curious sides of creatures that have rarely been highlighted before. Though designed for children, it's just as entertaining for adults, and even kids who've never shown much interest in animals will find themselves easily drawn in—once they start reading, they won't want to put it down. This truly is a delightful encyclopedia of creatures.