Staff Picks Category: Animals

The Hawk’s Way: Encounters With Fierce Beauty by Sy Montgomery [Book]

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In this short book, the author, Sy Montgomery, takes the reader through her journey with learning falconry, an ancient practice where humans and hawks join together to hunt. This partnership is unlike any Montgomery (or most of us) has encountered and calls her to question her relationship with the predators who, unable to be anthropomorphized, operate on instinct and care nothing for human companionship. Yet we are held in such thrall by their wildness. A wonderful, reflective piece of nonfiction.

Blue on Blue by by Dianne White; illustrations by Beth Krommes [Book]

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This poetic book is beautifully illustrated with scratchboard and watercolor. Set on a family farm in New England, Blue on Blue is the story of a rain storm from dark skies to mud everywhere.

Raven and the Red Ball by Sarah Drummond [Book]

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This is a beautiful wordless picture book with woodcut illustrations. A dog finds a red ball and begins to play until a raven appears. With eyes red like the ball, the raven takes the ball from the dog. Defeated and exhausted after chasing the raven, the dog stops to rest only to be pleasantly surprised by the red ball falling from above.

When the Moon is Full: A Lunar Year by Penny Pollock; illustrations by Mary Azarian [Book]

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Full moons come,

full moons go,

softening nights

with their silver glow.

This book has amazing illustrations by Vermont woodcut artist, Mary Azarian. Pollock tells the story of the lunar calendar. Each month has a verse describing the twelve moons according to Native American tradition and a hand-colored woodcut illustration.

In the Small, Small Pond by Denise Fleming [Book]

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In the small, small pond a frog encounters tadpoles, geese, dragonflies, turtles, herons, minnow, and many other animals. All of a sudden there is a chill in the air and winter is here.

Moonlight [Book]

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Rabbit discovers the magic of the moon in this beautifully illustrated story.

“Moonlight slides like butter

skims through outer space

skims past stars and comets”

Farm by Elisha Cooper [Book]

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There is so much to look at and learn about on a farm – animals, tractors, crops, and barns. And children feeding animals for morning chores! With lyrical writing and beautiful illustrations that capture the rhythms of the changing seasons, Elisha Cooper brings the farm to life.

Animals Make Us Human by Temple Grandin [Book]

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Grandin transports her readers into the animal mind. She challenges us to approach animals the same way we approach each other- considering the psychology of the individual.The book explores training, communication, trauma, happiness,and natural behaviors. What makes horses spook? How do you train a cat? Why raise happy livestock? The answers may not be what you expect. Grandin brings together scientific research and anecdotal evidence to reveal surprising insights that can improve human-animal interactions in ways that are simple but have enormous impact.