Child of the Wild: Animal Families in Portraits and Poems

What’s it like to be born and grow up as a wild chick, cub, calf, larva or pup? This is the first of five volumes in a whimsical series that imagines animal kids’ questions and qualms, and their parents’ responses.

 Like human kids, juvenile animals have problems. Why does chicky Vicky feel sicky? Where will dolphin Finn get some air? Penguin Gwen asks: what good are stubby flippers?  And like humans, animal parents usually have answers or advice.

Rhyming text, paired with lifelike family portraits, makes for fun learning that engages kids’ curiosity and ignites their imaginations, so they cherish nature, delight in wordplay and want to see and hear more.

Gentle learning continues with bonus materials:

• Limerick Lexicon helps young naturalists pick up valuable vocabulary

• Creature Features provide revealing and amusing notes on each species

• Activity Pages offer a fun way to reinforce concepts and grow confidence

Target readers for this debut chapter book by author-illustrator Jonathan Otto are ages 8 and up. Witty ditties and poignant portraits will also amuse parents and grandparents, younger siblings and sitters, and teachers and librarians, as they learn and laugh together. An audio clip of the author reading the limericks is included.

Be proud: read aloud, you’re allowed!