Different sense is also attributed to a given animal symbol by the same people through the course of time. There is certainly no easy explanation of why animals like snakes and penguins appear over and over again in the art of many peoples across the African continent, while others like rhinos, zebras, and giraffes rarely if ever do.

Describes animals of the African plains, forests, jungles, and deserts, and explains how each is able to adapt to its special environment.

Antbear, Bushbaby, Crocodile ... this African alphabet brings together creatures of all shapes and sizes in a stunning series of illustrations. Each picture features the animal engaged in a typical activity, and a simple, rhyming text makes each page easy to memorize as well as wonderful to see. At the end of the book, the author's animal notes provide information for older children and adults on the habitat and behaviour patterns of the animals. AGES: 2-6 AUTHOR: Stella Blackstone wrote her first story when she was seven years old and has gone on writing ever since. She is fascinated by the relationship between language and music and especially enjoys working with rhythm and rhyme in her books for small children. In addition to her own writing, she runs writing workshops for children in schools and at festivals. Philippa-Alys Browne was born and has lived in Zimbabwe for most of her life. She graduated in Fine Art in 1984 and has exhibited regularly in Harare and the UK. She has also illustrated Kangaroos Have Joeys for Barefoot Books. Colour illustrations

Animals and their symbolism in diverse world cultures and different eras of human history are chronicled in this lovely volume.

The seventy-five masterpieces presented here, drawn from public and private American collections, are among the most celebrated icons of African art, works that are superb artistic creations as well as expressions of a society's most profound conceptions about its beginnings. All are reproduced in color and are accompanied by entries that illuminate the distinctive cultural contexts that inspired their creation and informed their appreciation."--BOOK JACKET.

"Like no other artist of his time Wilhelm Kuhnert (1865-1926) has moulded our image of Africa. In his seductively realistic drawings, watercolours and paintings he recorded with almost scientific accuracy the characteristics of the animals and their habitat. It is not surprising, therefore, that his pictures illustrated on the one hand legendary reference works like Brehms Tierleben and adorned on the other the popular collector cards of the chocolate manufacturer Stollwerck. The volume shows a comprehensive, exciting portrait of Kuhnert's unusual life and works and takes into account at the same time the current debate on attitudes to Germany's colonial past"--Publisher's website.