UNDER THREAT: An Album of Endangered Animals is written by Martin Jenkins, a conservation biologist, and illustrated by artist Tom Frost. Thirty animals, threatened or endangered or vulnerable, are beautifully and respectfully featured in this compelling, handsome and oversized book.
Frost’s signature graphic style places each animal in the middle of a large postage stamp on one side of a double-paged spread. The author’s history of each animal along with the animal’s habits, scientific classification, population numbers and breeding grounds are on the other side. Location maps help the reader place each animal in the world.
There are 30 fabulous prints to study from Canada’s Polar Bear, China’s Giant Panda and Uganda’s Eastern Gorilla to Costa Rica’s Variable Harlequin Frog, California’s Condor and the Democratic Republic of Congo’s illusive Okapi. Kenya’s Grevy’s Zebra stares out from the cover of this book looking truly perfect with its orange-brown ears and nose and black and white gorgeous precision stripes. In fact, the colors and lines are dazzling throughout this “not to miss” book.
UNDER THREAT: An Album of Endangered Animals written with care and commitment by Martin Jenkins and exquisitely illustrated by Tom Frost is a wealth of information and an abundance of visual beauty for readers 9-12 years of age (Candlewick Studio/Candlewick Press, 2019).
Activity Questions for Under Threat: An Album of Endangered Animals
Many of the thirty animals pictured in this book have a very intent gaze. Check out the picture of the polar bear, the indri, the orangutan, the lynx and the gold lion tamarin. They are all looking directly at you! Reread each of their stories. If they could talk what would they say? Then, select one of these animals and compose a paragraph as if that animal was speaking directly to you.
Nearly half of the 30 endangered animals featured in this book are critically endangered. Go back through the book and find them. Make a record of these animals and the country in which they are found. Take a second look at the California Condor. As the author states, by 1981 there were only 22 condors left. Do some research and find out how this bird was pulled away from extinction. Ask your science teacher how to get started on this research. You will want a few books about the subject as well as some online sources.
Design a bumper sticker or placard that promotes the saving of animals from extinction. Be serious but have fun!
