Furry or spiny, thick and rough or smooth and slick: sometimes it's necessary to look just skin-deep! That's because skin itself is one of the most important parts of our and animals' bodies. In fact, creatures of the wild have an amazing selection of "natural coverings." Go up close as never before and see just how unusual skin can be. Each elephant has wrinkles in its lower leg as unique as a human's fingerprints. The grooves in the Australian thorny devil's flesh actually help it drink. Hippo's dense skin weighs one-fifth its entire weight--so it keeps this big animal safe from the sun. The bat's rubbery flesh allows it to swoop and fly, while the African armadillo lizard (and the porcupine too) has prickly scales that protect it. Skin that's armored, slimy, alarming, tasty, scary, and perfect for a disguise: you'll find out about it all!

Diane Swanson has been researching and writing nature books for children for over 25 years. Her work has been recognized with many awards, including the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children. Her titles have been regularly selected for the “our choice” list by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre. A frequent guest speaker at conferences on nature for kids, she lives in Victoria, B.C.

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