Z totally identified with Walter Rothschild (well, except for the uber-wealthy-part, of course), and really liked this as a quick lunchtime read. The author's notes at the end about the historical context of the "specimen" collection was a good conversation starter. ( )

On the eye-catching, chartreuse cover of the book, a young boy with brown eyes as wide as saucers peers over the edge of a log. Fantastic and bizarre creatures surround him. Their eyes all seem to be trying to catch a glimpse around the corner of the cover to the inside of the book. When you open the cover, you can see what’s attracting their, and your attention; a grinning sloth and her baby among myriad other fantastic animals, all members of the captivating family that this real life zoology buff built for himself. The rest of the book tells a clear visual tale of a sensitive, studious boy who grows into a thoughtful philanthropist through the support he gets from the animal kingdom and those who share his passion for it.