The child in me still gravitates to alphabet books. Give me one featuring animals and I'm a happy camper. I'm always curious to see how the creators will differentiate their book from the multitude of others out there, not to mention how they'll find a way to represent some of the lesser used letters. This one does both well.

To be honest, there was a part of me interested to see not just what Alaskan animals make the cut but how they'd handle those tricky letters like "X". Well, first, they cleverly used descriptive adjectives such as zigzag salamander, but outdid themselves for that "X". They not only came up with an Alaskan critter but one whose name I didn't recognize. As it turned out, I've even seen that animal, nope, not telling, but just didn't now its official name. See, even us big kids can learn a thing or two from these alphabet books. Needless to say, being Alaskan with access to not just Denali National Park but wild animals occasionally roaming about, I was delighted to discover how many I had seen. Young readers should appreciate the chart provided at the end where they can write down not just the animals they've observed but things like who they were with at the time and even sounds heard. A nice touch.

The illustrations were realistic but fun in a slightly whimsical way. I mean, it doesn't look like those bears might want to eat us for dinner. Grin. Each subject gets a full color illustrations and short, easy to digest description on the next as well as what parks they might be found at. Another nice teaching touch is that each alphabet letter is presented in both upper and lower case, not always common. There's a lively color map at the end that shows where each park is located as well as showing small versions of the animals scattered about. There's also a list to make it even clearer. Then the chart I mentioned earlier. All in all, nicely done and would make not only a fun gift for animal crazy kids but a nice addition to your school or classroom libraries. Thanks #ClarksonPotter - #TenSpeedPress for gifting me this early copy. It made me crave another trip to Denali National Park. Ironically enough, although moose are common sights here in Alaska...in fact, one visited my yard just a few days ago....that's the one critter I've yet to spy while visiting the park, go figure.

A National Parks centric alphabet book depicting one animal present in the parks for every letter. Artfully illustrated pages and quick fun facts make this book engaging, perfect for story times. One or two parks where the animal can be found are listed after the fun facts, allowing for more in depth conversation about the parks. A map of the parks and a “memory” page makes this book a perfect gift for a young child who travels to the parks. The beautifully colored illustrations make for a fun read regardless of age.

This was wonderful! I absolutely loved the illustrations, they really jumped off the page for me and I’m sure they would for a child too. As a nature loving adult I enjoyed the facts here too- apparently loggerhead turtles can weigh as much as a large piano??!!

I am already planning to gift this to my niblings and I can’t wait to read it alongside them!

Overall a lovely read that I would definitely recommend to any nature loving kids and their grown ups!

Thank you very much to Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to view this ARC

A great alphabetic overview of some of the animals that call the US National Parks home. The illustrations are cute and beautiful and the facts about each animal are quite sweet. Would make a great gift for a family that travels especially.

An A-Z book of animals in the national parks, this book includes illustrations and comments on where these animals can be found.

Thank you Ten Speed Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely adore this book. The first line is spot on! “National Parks are some of the most magical places in the world.” This is an adorable alphabet book with beautiful illustrations that is great for any family/kid who loves the great outdoors. I’ll be busy several copies for friends and families!

Animals of the National Parks is a charming illustrated alphabet book by Fifty-Nine Parks, offering a vibrant and engaging introduction to the diverse wildlife of America’s national parks. The illustrations are both colorful and beautifully rendered.

One of the highlights of this book is its informative design—each animal entry not only introduces the creature but also shares which park you’re most likely to encounter it. I particularly appreciated the thoughtful addition of a map at the end, which highlights the geographic locations of each animal's habitat, adding an extra layer of education for young readers. The book is also interactive, featuring questions that encourage reflection for those who have already visited the parks, making it an engaging experience for children and families alike.

I did find it intriguing that some animals were placed under unexpected letters of the alphabet. For example, while one might expect to see bison under the letter ‘B,’ the author chose to list the full name—American bison—under ‘A,’ a detail that adds an interesting twist to the organization of the book.

The National Parks, with their rich history, beauty, and biodiversity, are a true American treasure, and this book serves as a wonderful celebration of them. Animals of the National Parks would make a fantastic addition to any child’s library, offering both educational value and aesthetic enjoyment.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

I would've much preferred if this wasn't structured as an ABC book. Structuring that way turns off older readers, and the text is really better for older readers. Plus then we could've included more details, maybe some cool maps or infographics throughout, etc.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Title: Animals of the National Parks: An Alphabet Book
Author: Fifty-Nine Parks
Genre: Children’s Nonfiction, Outdoors & Nature
Publisher: Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press
Release Date: May 6, 2025
Overall Rating: ★★★★☆ (4 out of 5)

Book Overview:
This sweet alphabet book explores wild animals found in America’s national parks. This is a great introduction to wildlife identification for young children, and a great resource for nature-loving families or national park visitors.

What I Loved / Strengths:
- Brightly colored illustrations that capture children’s attention.
- Brief descriptions for each animal are easy to read and age-appropriate.
- A map of the national parks and space to note animal spotting memories at the end of the book.
- A simple, yet beautiful design that is approachable and engaging.

Areas for Improvement / Constructive Feedback:
- It would be nice to have additional educational resources to extend learning opportunities beyond this book.

Audience Recommendation:
I would recommend this book for parents, educators and caregivers looking to introduce young readers to nature, wildlife, and national parks. This would be a great companion book to bring along on a national parks road trip.

Overall Impression & Final Thoughts:
This is a wonderful introduction to animals that call the national parks home. Families can use this book as a companion resource for a national park vacation to help children identify and spot wildlife. Despite the alphabet structure, this book is engaging and informative for children of all ages. Animals of the National Parks: An Alphabet Book is sure to be a favorite!

Would I Recommend This Book? Yes, highly recommended for the intended audience.
Would I Purchase or Gift This Book? Yes, it is an excellent resource for personal use or as a gift.

Each letter shows an animal with an alliterative name. Then it says what they are like in about two sentences. We are then told in which US National Parks they are found. Great introduction to the Parks while repeating the animals in a fun way. Love it!
The illustrations by Kim Smith are delightful, brilliantly colorful, and FUN!
Well suited for reading WITH someone any age including ESL, and great for gifting to everyone, but especially to a school or your local public library!
I requested and received a temporary uncorrected eGalley on Adobe Digital Editions from Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed Press via NetGalley. Avail May 06, 2025
#AnimalsOfTheNationalParks by @fiftynineparks @kimillustration @tenspeedpress @clarksonpotter #Barnesandnoble #waterstones ***** Review #booksamillion #bookshop_org #bookshop_org_uk #childrensbookcouncil #Illustrated #NetGalley #goodreads #bookbub #librarythingofficial #kobo #abcbook #wildlife #nationalparks #findyourpark #keepamericawild #kidlit #wildlife #animalart #staywild #hiking #outdoors #seeamericafirst #usnationalparkpics #nationalparksusa #nationalparkservice

I'm not a huge fan of alphabet books. They're often painfully dull and not educational. I can only think of two that I've ever really liked. This one makes three! This book is perfect for little ones who love the outdoors, or have parents who do. I love visiting national parks. I wish a book like this had been around for my kids.

While alphabet letters are present in bold print on each page, they aren't the main focus. Each of the twenty-six animals in this book is beautifully illustrated and accompanied by an interesting, though simple, fact.

I love this book!!! I love the National Parks and this is a great book to introduce young children to the magic that is the National Park System. Who wouldn't want to go to the Parks to see some of the animals that are highlighted in this book. Whether it is buffalo in Yellowstone or an Xeme, which I had never heard of, in Denali. The artistic drawings of the animals are also very nice.

This book was absolutely adorable! The illustrations are vibrant, fun, and beautifully capture the charm of each animal. Every page is both informative and delightful, making it a perfect introduction to national park wildlife for young readers.

As a national park-loving family, this book was a perfect fit for us! My little kids were completely engaged, excited to learn about the different animals, and enchanted by the colorful artwork. It’s a fantastic way to bring a piece of the parks into our home, and now I definitely need a physical copy!

Highly recommend for any family who loves nature, animals, or the national parks!

Absolutely beautiful illustrations and very educational! I knew I would love this based on my spouse and I’s affinity for nature and visiting National Parks. Our favorite being Mount Rainier. Will definitely be purchasing for my kiddo (a future adventurer)!

Thank you so much to Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for the e-galley!

This is a cute little alphabet book full of beautiful and simple drawings of a variety of wild animals. It also has which national parks they can be found in. An enjoyable alphabet book.

Animals of the National Park is a great book for young children who want to learn about animals. This would be a perfect book for families who take summer trips to various National Parks. They could read to their children about some of the amazing animals they could see. This book teaches about some common and unique animals. It is a beautifully illustrated book. Each page has only a little bit of information, so it is great for little learners who don't yet have the attention to sit for long periods of time.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a digital ARC. This in no way impacted my views. I loved the book and can't wait to get a print copy for my children.

Thank you for the ARC. This was such a cute book. I loved how each letter of the alphabet represented an animal. I told a little about that animals and where it can be found. This was a simple and educational book with great illustrations.

I love every aspect of this absolutely adorable and incredibly informative book! But let’s break it down, shall we?

Here are a few of my favorite things:

•the artwork: This book is FULL of the most lovely artwork. It compels us to enjoy the page we’re on and keeps us excited for each new page that lies ahead. The artwork on every page is bursting with color and personality; it helps tell the story!

•the fun animal facts: Everyone who reads this book is going to learn something new! We are the caregivers of the animals in this world and it’s so vital that we learn about them so that we can advocate for them!

•the resources in the back of the book: I just adore the map showing where you can find these animals and appreciate that they’re spread out through various parks and states so that children all around our country can have a chance to look for them! I also LOVE that kids have a space where they can fill out what park they went to and the animals/plants they saw and who they went with, etc! Such a great way to get kids excited about our National Parks and the wildlife within.

•the National Parks: Our National Parks are such a treasure that we are fortunate to have and responsible for caring about and for! To be able to instill the love of these spaces in the next generation is important and wonderful — for us (the older generations) and for them (the future caregivers of the parks).

Our National Parks and Reserves and Forests are such magical, special spaces that we can spend time within and we absolutely should! We are so blessed by them. This book gives us SO many reasons to want to visit!!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Ten Speed Press, and Fifty-Nine Parks for the ARC digital copy for an honest review!

Beautiful introduction to national park wildlife

"Animals of the National Parks" is a beautiful board book.
Every animal is introduced in short, easy sentences. The illustrations are beautiful. I like the A-Z order. I especially appreciated the mention in which park the specific animal can be seen. This book is a must for young park enthusiasts.

This is a wonderful children’s book filled with beautiful illustrations, fun facts about animals, and information about the national parks the animals are found in. I especially love the map at the end of the book that shows where all the animals live! Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read Animals of the National Parks.