Born in the Wild: Baby Mammals and Their Parents

by Lita Judge, Lita Judge (Illustrator)

Overview

What do grizzly bear cubs eat? Where do baby raccoons sleep? And how does a baby otter learn to swim?

Every baby mammal, from a tiny harvest mouse "pinky" to a fierce lion cub, needs food, shelter, love, and a family. Filled with illustrations of some of the most adorable babies in the kingdom, Born in the Wild is an awww-inspiring look at the traits that all baby mammals share and proves that, even though they're born in the wild, they're not so very different from us, after all!

This non-fiction picture book by Lita Judge is sure to appeal to budding naturalists and animal lovers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781596439252
Publisher:	Roaring Brook Press
Publication date:	10/21/2014
Series:	In the Wild
Pages:	48
Sales rank:	400,578
Product dimensions:	10.30(w) x 10.10(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	AD900L (what's this?)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Lita Judge became a naturalist at a very early age when she joined her ornithologist grandparents in the field and was able to able to observe the behavior of all kinds of animals and their young. Her fascination for animal behavior has continued to this day and can be seen in her many books. She has also written and illustrated Bird Talk, How Big Were Dinosaurs?, and Born to Be Giants. Lita lives in New Hampshire.

Editorial Reviews

★ 10/06/2014
Judge offers an intimate study of the lives of animal babies and their parents, accompanied by her typically tender, naturalistic illustrations. Emphatic phrases like “the baby needs to be caressed and groomed” introduce spreads on these and other topics. Paragraph-long vignettes describe how the animals are cared for and slowly gain independence: “A two-week-old guanaco calf begins to eat a little grass. Over the next few months she will depend less and less on her mother’s milk.” Airy white space keeps the focus on the expressive animals, while endnotes and a glossary provide additional detail about the 26 featured animals. Ages 5–8. Agent: Linda Pratt, Wernick & Pratt. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

Small humans whose parents read to them will find fellow feeling with the well-care-for wild babies in these pages . . . Warmly friendly and inviting for a wide range of ages.” —Kirkus Reviews, STARRED REVIEW

“This charming picture book presents more than 20 baby animals and their parents . . . illustrations depict these animals so tenderly that readers may forget that these are wild creatures.” —School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW

“Judge offers an intimate study of the lives of animal babies and their parents, accompanied by her typically tender, naturalistic illustrations.” —Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW

“A visually captivating volume on animal families.” —Booklist

From the Publisher

★ 07/01/2014
K-Gr 2—This charming picture book presents more than 20 baby animals and their parents. Each spread begins with a simple statement, such as "The baby needs to move," "The baby needs protection," or "The baby is part of a family," followed by another spread that indicates how different animals accomplish this task (for instance, "The baby is hungry" is paired with descriptions of grizzly cubs nursing and wolf pups consuming meat regurgitated by adult wolves). The simple and clear language will keep readers engaged and their interest piqued. Rendered in pencil and watercolor, the illustrations depict these animals so tenderly that readers may forget that these are wild creatures. Back matter includes a short paragraph about each animal and a compilation of excellent websites that feature some captivating photographs of mammals. This title will surely be popular in the library as a beginning research tool, but some may find it quite appropriate as bedtime reading, too.—Martha Rico, El Paso ISD, TX

School Library Journal

★ 2014-08-06
Small humans whose parents read to them will find fellow feeling with the well-cared-for wild babies in these pages. Judge, who has a particular gift for animal portraiture that connects other living things to human understanding, offers a look at 26 species of mammals as infants. These babies have much in common with their human audience: the need to eat, to be protected, to be caressed, to move around, to play, to learn. The words "the baby" precede each examination of how baby mammals begin to grow ("The baby is hungry"; "The baby is part of a family"), creating a memorable, participation-inviting pattern. Judge's soft pencil or charcoal lines capture the proud, wary, protective looks of parents, mostly mothers, and the slightly dazed, open look of the very young. Two marsupials (a kangaroo and a Virginia opossum, looking much like the old woman who lived in a shoe) are included, as are the marine mammals sea otters, hippos and polar bears—but no whales. Text in a comfortably large font against open space conveys just enough, while individual backmatter paragraphs provide more in-depth information about the specific circumstances, habitats and adaptations of each animal. A brief glossary uses the occasional difficult word in its definitions, and the source list is mostly adult-directed, but child-friendly websites are suggested. Warmly friendly and inviting for a wide range of ages. (Informational picture book. 2-8)

Kirkus Reviews