Some animals live in houses; others live in swamps or rainforests or farms. Some stay at home; others travel far and wide. Many make sounds; all eat food of one sort or another. Read about animals of all types — with and without stripes — in the books suggested here.
If there’s one thing that could make you smile, even on a bad day, it’s a baby animal. Young humans may recognize themselves as they read about the habits, lives, and emotions of these lovable critters.
Summertime is a good time to learn and to imagine. Have you ever wanted a dog? How about one that does good deeds? Have you ever wondered what would happen if a goat trip-trapped over a bridge? Want to meet a Cuban solenodon? How about a gaur? Find out about these and ordinary rodents that live all around. And imagine about what stuffed animals are like when they come to life. You’ll find these and more in the books suggested here.
The author of 100 Best Books for Children and 500 Great Books for Teens, Anita Silvey has devoted 35 years to promoting books that inspire children to become enthusiastic, lifelong readers. Formerly Editor-in-Chief of Horn Book Magazine and a children’s book publisher with Houghton Mifflin), Silvey continues her role as an energetic advocate for children’s and YA literature through regular appearances on television and radio and at literacy events nationwide. Publisher’s Weekly has said, “It would be hard to find a more authoritative voice than Anita Silvey.” She has recently published her first book written for children, a work of narrative nonfiction called I’ll Pass for Your Comrade: Women Soldiers in the Civil War.
In this interview, find out what Silvey thinks about the future of the book and listen to the thrilling real-life anecdote about the creators of Curious George. As she says, “every children’s book tells a story, but every children’s book has a story behind it.”
