Published by Crown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  Since there are over 20 quintillion animals on Earth (that’s 20 followed by 18 zeros), it’s easier to get a grasp on that population by reducing it to 100.  For instance, if there were 100 animals on Earth, 6 would be vertebrates and 94 invertebrates.  If there were 100 animals in the ocean, 9 would be known and 91 left to be discovered.  If we imagine 100 animals have lived during the history of the Earth, 10 would still be living and 90 would be extinct.  The final two pages address the issue of extinction and encourage kids to work to save endangered animals.  32 pages; grades 2-5.

Pros:  I found myself thinking “Wow!” on almost every page; I can’t wait to share this book with kids.  Kudos to Aaron Cushley for creating illustrations that really bring these ideas to life.  

Cons:  There are no source notes or resources listed.