The Animals Came Two by Two: The Story of Noah's Ark by Christopher Wormell

I have always been drawn to Chris Wormell's illustration style using wood engravings. My family first discovered him in An Alphabet of Animals. His newest work, The Animals Came Two by Two, is just as engaging and enjoyable. Wormell tells the timeless story of Noah and the ark simply, putting the bulk of the story at the beginning and the end of the book. The middle part is filled with beautiful illustrations of all the different kinds of animals brought into the ark, arranged in pairs of opposites; From the tall (giraffes) to the short (weasels). Wormell includes a brief biosketch of each animal at the end, and includes the names of the male, female, and what a group of that particular animal is called. (Did you know that a group of falcons is called a "cast"?)The story itself is familiar enough that the religious undertones should not deter anyone from purchasing this book for a school library. And if you really don't want to hear the story again, get it for the art work. It's fabulous!