BABY ANIMALS WITH THEIR FAMILIES

A well-known nature photographer shares some animal family portraits.

Eszterhas uses this selection of her striking animal photographs to introduce some of the many ways young animals are nurtured by parents, family members, and their communities. In these endearing images, her fans will recognize animals she’s studied in the field and written about previously, including cheetahs, sloths, elephants, and lions, but there are more: chimpanzees, albatrosses, topi (a type of antelope), polar bears, humpback whales, and bat-eared foxes. Beautifully reproduced close-ups of a baby animal and often its siblings with one or many caregivers fill each double-page spread. Superimposed is a boxed paragraph with simply written information about how that animal is nurtured. Sometimes there’s an additional image. The author’s point is clear: “no matter what kind of family they have, babies need care and support from others as they learn and grow.” She shows baby animals with one parent or the other (Dad or Mom), with both parents, or with a relative (Auntie), as well as babies in groups or herds. She points out that while all the albatrosses in a colony might look the same to us, parents recognize their own chick’s call. In the backmatter are smaller images of even more animal parents and children, including the puppy who’s a member of the photographer’s own family.

A package that’s appealing and accessible; a good suggestion for fledgling readers.