Illustrator Cathy Morrison, whose mountain studio above Livermore overlooks a whole lot of wild scenery, has done it again. Her newest book, Baby on Board: How Animals Carry Their Young, with author Marianne Berkes and published by Dawn Publications, describes in brilliant color and detail the ways in which animals protect and care for their young.
Berkes’ simple rhymes and explanations are enhanced and expanded by Morrison’s illustrations. We learn about sea otters who transport their young using their bodies as rafts and entwining their babies in seaweed to keep them from drifting away. Alligators grip their babies in their powerful jaws and carry them to the safety of the water. Baby anteaters, camouflaged by a pattern of stripes, ride on their mothers’ backs while she digs insects to feed them.
Young readers are bound to be fascinated by these little-known facts brought to life by Morrison’s illustrations. The book also includes help for parents and teachers; a matching game, read-aloud suggestions, math, science and language arts activities, suggestions for problem-solving and physical movement. Several websites are suggested for more resources related to the book.
Dawn Publications, based in California, is dedicated to inspiring in children a deeper understanding and appreciation for all life on earth. Find them at dawnpub.com or 1-800-545-7475.
Morrison has also illustrated The Prairie That Nature Built, Pitter and Patter, If You Love Honey: Nature’s Collections and Wild Ones: Observing City Critters for Dawn.
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