
Reach for this book when your child starts begging for a pet or shows an intense, scientific curiosity about the critters in your backyard. Jean Craighead George, the Newbery-winning author of My Side of the Mountain, shares a series of hilarious and heartwarming true vignettes about her life as a naturalist mom raising three children alongside a revolving door of wild guests. From a tarantula that goes missing in a purse to a crow that thinks it is a person, these stories explore the thin line between the domestic and the wild. This memoir is perfect for middle-grade readers, offering a masterclass in empathy and ecological responsibility. Parents will appreciate the way it models a household where mistakes are learning opportunities and every creature, no matter how small or scaly, is worthy of respect and observation.
Brief mentions of animals dying or returning to the wild as part of the natural cycle.
The book deals with the realities of nature in a direct and secular way. While the tone is primarily humorous and light, it does not shy away from the fact that wild animals are temporary guests. Some animals die or are lost to the wild, which is handled with realistic acceptance rather than heavy melodrama.
An elementary or middle school student who loves science, animals, or the outdoors. It is particularly suited for a child who feels a bit like an outsider and finds solace in the company of nature, or a family that values hands-on learning and environmentalism.
This book can be read cold. Parents should be aware that the book reflects a 1960s-90s perspective on wildlife rehabilitation which may differ from modern local laws, providing a good opening to discuss current conservation rules. A parent might reach for this after their child brings home a jar of bugs, a stray cat, or expresses a desire to become a veterinarian. It is the perfect 'yes' book for the 'can I keep it?' phase.
Younger children (8-9) will delight in the slapstick humor of animals causing chaos in a human home. Older readers (10-12) will appreciate the scientific observations and the nuanced family dynamics of three siblings growing up in a unique environment.
Unlike many animal stories that anthropomorphize their subjects, this book maintains the animals' wild dignity. It is a rare look at a parent who encourages wildness rather than trying to tame it, written by one of the most respected nature writers in children's literature.
This is a memoir-in-essays by Jean Craighead George, chronicling her life in a house filled with children and a vast array of wild animals. Each chapter focuses on a different pet, including owls, raccoons, crows, and even a tarantula. The stories follow the animals from their arrival (often as rescues) to their eventual release or integration into the family, highlighting the quirks of animal behavior and the scientific observations made by the author and her children.
This overview was generated by AI based on the book's content and reviews, and may not capture every nuance.
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