We’ve gone over, in the past, a good number of official LEGO books recently published and released by the company’s steadfast print partner Dorling Kindersley (DK). Granted, most of those books that came out were franchise titles, whether LEGO’s own or licensed elsewhere. But there have also been DK LEGO books with more “generalized” subjects. Take for instance this volume, the LEGO Animal Atlas. Released two months ago, it contains a mini-encyclopedia of some of the world’s most familiar animals, along with building tips from UK-based AFOL gurus such as Jason Briscoe, Rod Gilles and Simon Pickard, to help child readers construct LEGO brick-built animals. As a bit of a trivia, the LEGO Store Monthly Mini-Build for the month of August (which is a Toucan by the way) is also featured in this latest LEGO-inspired DK offering.
As if the LEGO animal-building instructions weren’t enough, the LEGO Animal Atlas also takes pages from its licensed-property brethren. But where LEGO Star Wars or LEGO DC Visual Dictionary might have a minifigure included, the LEGO Animal Atlas comes with a 60-piece LEGO brick set, with enough specific elements to build four particular creatures featured in the book.
Currently you can find the LEGO Animal Atlas online at Amazon, where it has recently undergone a hefty price cut of more than 30%. Here’s the full description of the book as posted by Amazon.
LEGO Animal Atlas: Discover the Animals of the World and Get Inspired to Build!
An atlas of animals with 60 bricks to build four exclusive mini-models: panda, penguin, giraffe, and kangaroo.
Discover the planet’s amazing animals with specially commissioned LEGO® models and maps. Which animal gobbles up 4,000 clams in one meal? Where can you find a snail as big as a baseball? The LEGO Animal Atlas has answers to these questions and a whole lot more. The book is packed with fascinating facts, images, and building ideas for more than 110 models of the world’s most awesome animals.
A detailed LEGO map, dotted with charming micro-build creatures, introduces each of the continents. The maps are followed by colorful spreads featuring up to seven LEGO animals in their habitats. From a cute koala in the Australian outback to a mighty lion prowling the African savanna, this book showcases many of the world’s favorite animals–plus some unusual sights, such as the bizarre blue-footed booby and the mysterious giant squid.
The models are built with mostly standard bricks, and tips and breakdowns will inspire children to create their own animal models. A combination of clear photos, authoritative text, fun facts, and classic LEGO humor helps children learn as they build and play their way around the animal world.