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Awards

2014 Platinum & Gold Best Book Awards: Oppenheim Toy Portfolio

Honorable Mention: 2014 Tofte/Wright Children's Literature Awards: Council for WI Writers

 

The Story

In the forest, in the pond, in caves, prairies, and jungles, in all the world's outdoor "classrooms," baby animals are . . . learning! They are taking lessons on how to be an expert swimmer, alarm-sounder, racer-chaser, or hide-and-seeker. They don't have books, or disks, or computers. But they do have teachers!

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My Inspiration

Whenever I read about or research animals, I serch for the exact details of their behavior, so I can make the life of the animal come alive for the reader. In doing this, i was fascinated by how animal parents teach their young, much like human parents and caregivers do. I think kids like to read about things that animals do that mirror their own lives.

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Educational Connections

How animals learn, similarities to how humans learn, family relationships

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Growing with Science blog: Learning About Animal Behavior with Animal Teachers

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Illustrator Katy Hudson's Art Journey for Animal Teachers

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Reviews

"Just like human children, animal babies from chicks to bear cubs learn lessons from adults around them."—Kirkus Reviews 

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"Twelve vignettes explore the kinds of "lessons" that various animal adults teach to their offspring . . . Hudsons'graceful artwork offers a hint of anthropomorphic tenderness between the animal parents and children, while remaining naturalistic. Readers should especially enjoy prompts inviting them to compare their own behavior with that of the animals: "Do you yip? Can you bark? Or shout? Or yelp? How do you make yourself heard?"—Publishers Weekly

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