When I first opened Guide to Seldom Seen Animals I was slightly skeptical about how it would appeal to children younger than myself. I thought at first that the existence of such creatures may frighten small children and make them afraid that the bumps in the night were caused by a fantastic monster that might take an interest in them when they got bored with their usual tasks. However, after reading a bit more I was quite content to know that the story, which is more of a silly encyclopedia, seemed jovial enough. The author realized my fears and repeatedly told the reader that none of the creatures would harm a human being, except through harmless practical jokes. With that out of the way I began to appreciate the fantastical descriptions of animals unseen to the human world.
Though this idea has been visited upon by other authors, the descriptions and concepts of the creatures remain original and well thought out. Many authors have attempted this type of endeavor and been lost in the sea of unoriginal writings.
In conclusion, this book will appeal to any child with an active imagination. I would recommend this book to any child with a wild imagination and a will to be read to, seeing as the lack of a real story may not hold younger children’s attention span.
