Africa
Africa
On the border between Zimbabwe and Zambia, the waters of the mighty Zambezi River thunder over a cliff and into a deep chasm. This is Victoria Falls, the largest waterfall in the world. It is twice the height of Niagara Falls.
Before it reaches the waterfall, the Zambezi flows over tough, volcanic rock called basalt. Huge cracks in the basalt were once filled with soft rock called sandstone. Over thousands of years, the force of the river has worn away the sandstone, creating a gorge more than 5,600 feet (1,708 m) wide and 354 feet (108 m) deep.
The force of the water plunging into the chasm can be heard far away, and it throws up a cloud of mist that can be seen many miles away. That is why the local Kalolo-Lozi people called the falls Mosi-oa-Tunya, or “the smoke that thunders”.
Penned by award-winning natural history author Tim Harris, the “Wildlife Worlds” series takes readers on a fascinating journey to all of the world’s continents where they will learn about the landforms, flora and fauna from various regions of each continent. Harris knows of what he speaks. After studying Norwegian glaciers at university, he became interested in the natural world. Among other places, his travels took him to the Namib Desert, the slopes of Popocatépetl (an active stratovolcano in Mexico), the Sumatran rainforest, and the frozen Sea of Okhotsk. The books have eye-catching covers and an attractive layout. Despite the information’s being a general overview of specific areas within each continent, Harris captures the reader’s attention with his engaging text and wonderful full-colour photographs, a winning combination that is bound to pique the reader’s interest and desire to learn more. All of the books begin with a general introduction to the featured continent, along with a map showing the various regions. The remaining chapters focus on each of 12 specific areas, with a double-page spread devoted to each one. A table of contents, a glossary, an index, and a list of books and websites for further study are included.
From the Great Rift Valley, where the first humans are believed to have lived, to Mount Kilimanjaro and the Sahara Desert, Africa highlights the diversity of the continent with its unusual animals such as rock hyraxes, ghost frogs and fassas (catlike carnivores). In this title, readers will also learn about the Congo rain forest, home to more than 11,000 different kinds of plants, the Skeleton Coast, so named for the bones of whales and seals that once littered the shore, and Madagascar, just to name a few.
Educational, engaging and thoroughly enjoyable, the “Wildlife Worlds” series offers readers a glimpse into the diverse natural world of the Earth’s continents and an opportunity to marvel at Mother Nature’s handiwork.
Gail Hamilton is a former teacher-librarian in Winnipeg, Manitoba.