WE ARE ALL ANIMALS

Are humans unique? No! We belong to a community of critters.

Hoare and Lloyd find multiple, and sometimes surprising, commonalities between humans and other animals, starting and ending at the genetic level. We’re all made of cells, we all have internal clocks, we all have feelings, and we all communicate. Along the way, the authors answer basic biological questions: How are animals classified? How do they grow? Why is oxygen so important? Hoare and Lloyd also provide plenty of astonishing facts about the things that set various creatures apart: Turtles can breathe through their bottoms. Leeches have 32 brains. Our human “body clock” is the size of a poppy seed. Bees can clamp their jaws on a plant to sleep, while chinstrap penguins take thousands of micro-naps a day. Rats love to have their tummies tickled; humans and bananas share 50% of their genes. The writing is informative, though jargon-free and conversational, often addressing readers directly. The section on poop is bound to be especially popular. Colorful stylized illustrations add detail, mostly depicting the animals close up or in isolation, but sometimes portraying them in their natural habitats. Occasional photographs are interspersed. The few humans shown are racially diverse.

Curious youngsters will eagerly flock to this fascinating book.