Friends (Board Book): True Stories of Extraordinary Animal Friendships

by Catherine Thimmesh (Author)

Reading Level: 2nd − 3rd Grade
What makes a camel friends with a Vietnamese pig? Or a wild polar bear pals with a sled dog? Author Catherine Thimmesh makes us wonder at the beauty of unlikely animal friendships. Because the stories behind these friendships are true, they give readers insight into animals and the rhyming text shows the audience that support and love for another crosses all divides. This book also expresses tolerance of differences and makes us look at the kindness of animals--and humans--a little differently. Because they were there at just the right time, photographers in Siberia, India, Africa, the U.S., China, England, Germany and Japan were able to capture the truth and mystery of these existing friendships and allows us to appreciate them in this new board book format.
Select format:
Paperback
$10.99

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2—Thimmesh uses a simple rhyming text and stellar color photos to celebrate unusual friendships. In addition to the verse, she records further details in prose paragraphs to give some context and to help older readers understand these often-inexplicable relationships. One can possibly comprehend a cheetah cub/puppy pair at a zoo, or even a baby badger and a baby fox at a wildlife sanctuary, but she documents a wild, adult polar bear and a tethered sled dog, a basset hound and an owl, and an Asian camel and a miniature Vietnamese pig. Unthinkable? "It doesn't matter—not in the end—because deep where it counts, /one knows a true friend." The photos radiate trust and warmth, and the text is soothing and reassuring.—Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY

Copyright 2011 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Review quotes

"Thimmesh uses a simple rhyming text and stellar color photos to celebrate unusual friendships...The photos radiate trust and warmth, and the text is soothing and reassuring."—School Library Journal "Thimmesh hops on the cuteness bandwagon with this collection of 13 animal duos who met by chance and, for a time at least, showed mutual curiosity and affection."—Booklist
Catherine Thimmesh
Catherine Thimmesh is the award-winning children's book author of Team Moon, winner of the Sibert Medal. Visit her online at www.catherinethimmesh.com.

Melissa Sweet is the Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator of Some Writer! The Story of E. B. White and Balloons Over Broadway. Visit her online at www.melissasweet.net.
Classification
Non-fiction
ISBN-13
9780358074281
Lexile Measure
960
Guided Reading Level
-
Publisher
Clarion Books
Publication date
September 03, 2019
Series
-
BISAC categories
JNF053140 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Social Topics | Prejudice & Racism
JNF003200 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Zoos
JNF003060 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Dogs
JNF003020 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Bears
JNF003010 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Apes, Monkeys, etc.
JNF003160 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Mice, Hamsters, Guinea Pigs, Squirrels, etc
JNF003130 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Lions, Tigers, Leopards, etc.
JNF003040 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Cats
JNF003100 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Animals | Foxes
JNF053060 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Social Topics | Friendship
JNF053100 - Juvenile Nonfiction | Social Topics | New Experience
Library of Congress categories
-

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