Some of Us Walk Some Fly Some Swim

Some of Us Walk Some Fly Some Swim
Michael Frith ~ Random House, 1971

Granted, the last thing my son needs is another animal encyclopedia, but you all know I'm a sucker for Michael Firth (of Muppet and Animals Do the Strangest Things fame.) Plus, there's really no such thing as too many animal guides in our house. Truly "246 animals every beginner should meet", the illustrations are so fun and vibrant, I look at this book sometimes when my son is not around. And guess what? There are tons of BIRDS! (Surprise, surprise.)

We come in all colors,
all sizes, all shapes...
Some are pretty
Some are not...
Some are plain...
and some are frilly
Some of us look sort of silly

(Sigh. My personal apologies to the gavial and the star-nosed mole.)

A litany of animals and their behaviors are listed and matched in a way that show insight into the hidden lives of species. The extra cute element here is that we (meaning human beings) are included in the roster, thus the use of the word "us" in the title... bringing your child that much closer to the animal kingdom.

Seriously, a good library sale is like a time machine. Only without the dinosaurs. (And for all you cootie-shy readers who've often asked what I use to clean my finds... I've discovered the secret to getting the gunk off nonporous old books. EASY-OFF Oven Cleaner. It's a fricking miracle!!!)

Also by:
Prehistoric Monsters Did the Strangest Things
Birds Do the Strangest Things