Animology

These remarkable illustrations capture animal body-language and likeness with accuracy, charm and wit, while simultaneously spelling the animal’s portrait! It’s the missing link between word and image.


A stunning new collection of illustrations paired with delightful not-so-nonsense verse. This book is deliciously large, and rich enough in glorious colour and detail to immerse young readers in letter shape and design.
These ingenious animal portraits link letter and image in a totally new way, creating a connection between word and picture that will help improve letter recognition, spelling and design skills.

Did you know that the octopus has nine brains? Can you make a portrait of an octopus from the letters of its name? Did you know you could make a swan with just four beautiful letters? If you rearrange the letters of an armadillo, do you still have an armadillo?

Discover a world where letters and nature meet. Discover the kooky connections between letter shapes and animal body language.

ANIMOLOGY: THE BIG BOOK OF LETTER ART ALPHABEASTS by Maree Coote has been awarded the USA Indies Children’s Picture Books Award- Honorable Mention, 2019

“"...uniquely crafted word search and letter seek-and-find." -- Foreword Reviews”

This is one of the most unusual books I've reviewed for a long time and one of the most fascinating. One for those boys who like to gather round the same book and test themselves. And having got the concept by looking, students can then be challenged to try for themselves, remembering that they not only have to spell the name correctly and use all the letters, but make the finished design resemble the creature!! Something very different for an art/biology lesson that could be a shared activity as the artists draw and the wordsmiths research to create the verse!
A significant step up from the usual look-and-find books for younger readers.

ReadPlus
Animology is a clever, awe-inspiring and beautiful creation which will be enjoyed by young and old alike. Recommended. Magpies
Animology is a one-of-a-kind treasure, enthusiastically recommended for personal and public library picturebook collections Mid West Book Review
A fresh tribute to the creative possibilities of letter-form art: stylish and sophisticated Kirkus Reviews

Maree Coote is a writer, designer, illustrator and photographer. She is the author of two gold award winning histories, 'The Melbourne Book' and 'The Art of Being Melbourne', and is author/illustrator of a dozen children's books, including the Bologna Ragazzi Special Mention 2017 Award-winning 'Spellbound’, and the Nami Concours Illustration Distinction Prize. Her graphic work for children is focused on the typographic illustrations (Letter Art) she has developed in her recent books.

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