If you are looking for an easy and non-specific drawing book about animals, this is the one. It has a wide range of them, from birds to insects, from wild felines to cute pets and farm animals. I would say this book is a great starting point for anyone who is interested in drawing but doesn't know any techniques or doesn't feel capable - yet - of drawing animals instantly. It is perfect for beginners because it does not use hard techniques, such as shading, and with it you are able to discover which kinds of animals you would like to draw more - and then you can go for "Draw 50 Birds" or "Draw 50 Cats", which are two examples that, comparing to this one, are more specific and therefore more challenging books. "Draw 50 Animals" uses the step-by-step method and is very easy to follow. You start with simple lines and shapes, and little by little you turn them into the animal which you thought you would never be able to draw. The result is really amazing, and a great self-esteem increaser for beginners (at least for me it was!). This book is sure to please anyone who uses it and anyone who sees the result of using it!

The book's teaching method is very easy to understand, and putting it together with a sketch pad and the proper pencils made it a great gift; not to mention that the child's sketches are greatly improved. And even more importantly, she's learning and enjoying something NOT related to a computer; an ipod, or a television set. Even if she stops drawing tomorrow, I would still feel this book was a good investment.