I just finished reading the sweetest storybook. It’s called Friends: True Stories of Extraordinary Animal Friendships. It was written by Catherine Thimmesh. Catherine has written other books including Team Moon, Madam President, Girls Think of Everything, The Skys the Limit and Lucy Long Ago.
Catherine’s new book, Friends: True Stories of Extraordinary Animal Friendships, features brief stories about unlikely friendships in the animal kingdom along with poems related to friendship.
This is a quick book to read at only 32 pages. The book is geared towards children ages 4-8 (reading level) but even younger children can enjoy these true stories of friendship. This would make a wonderful bedtime story that a parent can read to a child. Even as an adult I enjoyed this book.
I am a huge animal lover. I love animals in all shapes and sizes. I found the stories inside the book very touching and sweet. Take for example the polar bear who made his way into a camp located in the frozen tundra of Manitoba, Canada. The photographer who was on site thought for sure the polar bear would gobble up some of the sled dogs that were tied up outside. Instead he played with one of the dogs. In fact he came back 10 nights in a row to play with that dog, then mysteriously disappeared (the bear, not the dog).
There is also the story of a mouse and a frog. After a big flood a frog was caught giving a ride to a little mouse, helping the little critter find a safe place to be.
In another sweet story you learn about a lion cub and a piglet living on an African wildlife preserve who became instant friends, playing and cuddling with one another. For six months the pair enjoyed spending time with each other until they finally had to be separated out of fear that the lion cub would make a meal out of the little pig.
These are just a few of the charming TRUE stories about animals, thrown together by a variety of circumstances, struck up friendships. Some lasted a life time. Others lasted for a while until situations tore them apart.
The poems found throughout the book are equally as sweet. Here is an example of one of the poems.
A friend snuggles…
A nestle,
a much-needed squeeze,
friends rest together –
completely at ease.
Each story is accompanied with a poem and a photo of the extraordinary friends. Each story is true.
I give Friends: True Stories of Extraordinary Animal Friendships two thumbs up. This delightful book shows the reader that friends come in many shapes and sizes and that “how” and “why” these animals become friends remain a mystery. Like human friendships animals can form the same magical connection with one another.
Friends: True Stories of Extraordinary Animal Friendships is available at many retail book locations.
To learn more about the author, Catherine Thimmesh visit http://www.catherinethimmesh.com.
Kimberly
*I received a free product sample in order to do this review. There was no compensation. The opinions expressed are my own.
eva says
this is so cute!