Staff Book and Media Recommendations

Patrick Douglas is a Library Technician at the University of Central Oklahoma.

300 Frogs: A Visual Reference Guide to Frogs and Toads from around the World

Chris Mattison

Chris Mattison's 300 Frogs: A Visual Reference Guide to Frogs and Toads from Around the World is a wonderful pictorial reference full of interesting facts. At just about six inches square, this little hardcover is packed with page after page (over five hundred pages, in fact) of helpful information for anyone interested in these marvelous (and often cute) little creatures.

The introduction succinctly explains the differences (or lack thereof) between frogs and toads, their diversity, habitats, feeding habits, life cycles, and their anatomical relationships to other animals, most of which exist only in the fossil record. Organized by family, each entry has a large, close-up photograph or very detailed color drawing of the species and five or six brief paragraphs describing the animal and its general nature. There is also a key listing its different names, classification, size, features, habits, breeding, diet, habitat, distribution, frequency, and similar species.

This neat little book is beautifully illustrated and very informative. It could be an invaluable resource for someone interested in studying frogs and toads or an interesting coffee table-style book for anyone to browse.

Reviewed November 2009