Snowflakes: A Pop-Up Book

by Jennifer Chuschcoff

The intricate beauty of snowflakes is fully revealed in this amazing pop-up book. This  enchanting explanation of the uniqueness of snowflakes is supplemented by information about the real life Snowflake Man, Wilson A. Bentley, who was the first to photograph snowflakes.  You will want to enjoy the pop-ups over and over with children or other snow aficionados. A sparkling treat of a gift.  (Ingram Publisher, $24.95) 

Animalium

by Jenny Broom 

'Welcome to the Museum" is a series of books set on the "walls" of the printed page, showcasing the world's finest collections of objects - from natural history to art.  Offering hours of learning, this first title within the series - Animalium - presents the animal kingdom in glorious detail with illustrations from Katie Scott.  Animalium has the feel of an antique book,  with fascinating facts to go along with the illustrations. Definitely not just for kids.  (Candlewick,$35.00) 

 Before After

by Anne-Margot Ramstein

Which came first? No words are necessary in this beautiful, artfully humorous book, in which every turn of the page offers a surprise.Everyone knows that a tiny acorn grows into a mighty oak and a caterpillar becomes a butterfly. But in this clever, visually enchanting volume, it's also true that a cow can result in both a bottle of milk and a painting of a cow, and an ape in a jungle may become an urban King Kong. Just as day turns into night and back again, a many-tiered cake is both created and eaten down to a single piece. With simple, graphic illustrations sure to appeal to even the youngest of children, this beautiful rumination on the passage of time will please the most discerning adult readers, too.  There will be many hours of storytelling in the wonderful book.   You have to see it to appreciate it.  (Candlewick, $19.99)

 The Animal : A Visual Encyclopedia of Life on Earth

by Smithsonian

 The wonders of the natural world are on display in The Animal Book. This guide is packed full of information about creatures big and small. Structured according to scientific classification, with straightforward explanations of more than 1,500 specimens, each is stunningly photographed. A "tree of life" greets readers at the beginning of the book, charting the complex and interconnected relationships between species. Every plant and animal is presented in proportion, with in-depth spreads giving a sense of scale to each organism. Feature spreads that focus on a single specimen let children get up close and personal with the world's most fascinating animals, making The Animal Book perfect not only for homework help but to satisfy kids' curiosity about the wealth of living creatures on our planet.   We found this book because a customer was looking for information on bats.  There were at least 4 pages in this one volume.  A great book to grow up with for any animal lover.  (DK Publishing, $24.99)