A book about animals that I did enjoy reading was, Dieter Braun’s Wild Animals of the World. This was read via an online reader copy (but is currently available), therefore, I am not completely sure of the dimensions of it, but I am assuming it is more picture book sized, and I have this feeling it might be at least slightly oversize or at least larger than usual. The theme is all the different 
animals and fun information about them given to us in short, simple paragraphs, and are (as the publisher description says) “bold and memorably illustrated.” 
We travel around the continents learning about the different animals that are out there. The unusual way of presenting them via the illustrations, make it fresh and unique. This is not the usual “this animal is a koala and it lives in Australia” and now you can go to sleep because you’ve read and/or heard this before. There is UMPH! to things. And the animals are mixed with some you know, some somewhat familiar and some that will be new. 
The artwork is what grabs us and pulls us into things. They are realistic, but have a slight surreal look to them. Colors are not overpowering, but get the job done. Things are soft and have edges. The artwork helps make this book an all ages book. The text can be for older children, as it can be a bit “just the facts” but it is not overly detailed and therefore, overwhelming us with too much. 
One of the things I enjoyed was that if you are watching, you can see how animals are both very similar and different at the same time in different areas of the world. Therefore, you can adapt this to your child’s age and interests with games like, “Does North America and Europe have similar animals?” But get much more out of it as well.
