Wildlife Crossings: Protecting Animal Pathways Around the World

With humans expanding their cities, we're pushing animals and nature closer together with patches few and far between. Because of this, animals have trouble finding food and usually have a negative impact on towns as they search for different habitats. They will even destroy crops or cause car accidents. To combat this, animal advocates try to create paths and safer habitats for them. This book delves into seven different animals who humans are actively trying to save: Elephants in India, Hedgehogs in the UK, Birds in Asia, Gibbons in China, Fish in Germany, Bears in Canada, and Cougars in the USA.

WILDLIFE CROSSINGS: PROTECTING ANIMAL PATHWAYS AROUND THE WORLD educates children about how humans can negatively impact nature and ways to try to prevent this. The illustrations are painted with a crafty attention to detail and some portraits look like something you'd see hanging on a wall. In the back of the book, the author touches on seven more animals who are in danger because of humans. It would have been nice to see some more resources included to show children how they can help, but all-in-all, this book brings awareness to how we hurt nature when we don't take them into account on a regular basis.


Final Verdict: I would recommend this to children aged five and older who enjoy learning about nature and animals. It may even inspire some of them to become advocates themselves.

Wildlife Crossings: Protecting Animal Pathways Around the World is a look at how seven different and amazing animals' crossings have changed over the course of recent decades.

Wildlife Crossings is a beautiful tribute to all animals losing their homes for one reason or another.
Each animal gets a four page section, detailing their struggles with migratory paths or food trails, and what humans are doing to solve these issues. It was interesting to read some of the innovative ways people are coming up with to help these animals, and more, such as canopy bridges made from rope and bamboo, and wildlife crossings.
There is a lot of reading for each animal. You could easily choose to not read the bubbles found throughout the illustrations. However, I found it was the perfect amount to have your child[ren] silently look for the animals (i.e.: four cougars, seven pink salmon, etc). while reading these information tidbits.

I really enjoyed the illustrations. Each animal is beautifully done in a way that is appealing to both children and adults, while still looking like something you'd find in a retro field guide. I loved the expressions on the animals' faces, going from concerned in one spread and happy/relaxed on the next.

While Wildlife Crossings does a fantastic job of interesting children, I would have loved a source guide in the backmatter to further encourage children to see what is being done, or even what they could do in their own communities.

Wildlife Crossings: Protecting Animal Pathways Around the World is a wonderful addition to any bookshelf.