You Are a Raccoon!

by Laurie Ann Thompson, Jay Fleck (Illustrator)

Overview

The second in an adorable, STEM nonfiction picture book series that encourages very young readers to learn—through gentle interactivity and play—about the animals who share their world

Crawl, cling climb! You may have seen a raccoon scurry up a tree or across the road just before dark. Did you know that raccoons stay up at night playing, hunting, and eating when you go to sleep? From birth to first stripes and beyond, discover all that goes into being a raccoon in this charming picture book, the second in the Meet Your World series.

This playful and informative series invites you to take a closer look at the amazing animals that live right alongside you in rural, suburban, and urban landscapes across North America. In each book, words and art inspire you to act out animal actions that are not so different from your own habits. And robust backmatter offers even more facts and fun. From the animals’ families and foods to their environments and behaviors, let’s meet your world!

"Truly a perfect blend of education and fun with the addition of adorable illustrations." —SLJ

"Exceptionally adorable . . . Deftly connects natural human children’s activities to raccoon behaviors." —Kirkus

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593529720
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	04/11/2023
Series:	Meet Your World
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	676,798
Product dimensions:	10.38(w) x 10.25(h) x 0.34(d)
Lexile:	AD440L (what's this?)
Age Range:	2 - 5 Years

About the Author

Laurie Ann Thompson grew up in the fields and forests of northern Wisconsin and now lives between the mountains and the sea in western Washington state. A master naturalist and former software engineer, she writes to help her readers—and herself—better understand the world we all share. She is the author of several award-winning nonfiction books, including the teen how-to guide, Be a Changemaker, and Emmanuel’s Dream, a picture book biography about Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah, which won the Schneider Family Book Award and was named an ALA Notable Children’s Book.

Jay Fleck is the best-selling illustrator of more than a dozen books for kids, including the Tiny T. Rex series co-created with author Jonathan Stutzman and the Feel-Good Fairy Tales series, written by #1 New York Times bestselling author Susan Verde. When not creating books, Jay lives, runs, and creates in a suburb south of Chicago with his wife, their two kids, and their loyal dog, Otis.

Editorial Reviews

01/20/2023

K-Gr 4—Thompson has crafted a truly wonderful book that not only pulls readers in with a cute tale about animals but also incorporates activities that mimic the lives of raccoons—all while being educational! The book walks readers through the adventure that is growing up as a raccoon, from when it is born to adulthood. Along the way are examples of activities the raccoon might do at that stage of life alongside examples of kids behaving in a similar way. Included are facts about raccoons, why they are important, and of course, why it's equally important for kids to not interact with them. This is truly a perfect blend of education and fun with the addition of adorable illustrations. VERDICT All libraries will want to include this in their children's collections.—David Roberts

School Library Journal

2023-01-25
A raccoon grows from baby to adult.

The second-person narration puts young readers in the position of the raccoon, born blind and deaf and only able to “sniff! Wiggle! Whine!” Further helping little ones to envision themselves as the raccoon, spotlight illustrations on the recto of each double-page spread show diverse children naturally engaging in the same activities as the animal. The spare text on each page is accessible for emerging readers, and the full-color art’s soothing palette makes this ideal for a bedtime story. From initially just snuggling and sleeping, the raccoon grows and begins to chatter, crawl, climb, and feast on berries and acorns as well as earthworms, beetles, and snails (while the illustrated children eat things like carrots, bananas, and pasta). Once winter comes, the plump raccoon family slumbers away, waking “every few weeks to look for food.” When spring arrives, the baby raccoon is now an adult ready to move out into a den of their own. The narrative is followed by lovingly written raccoon facts and activities for kids who want to pretend to be raccoons. The author warns that though they’re cute (and the rounded, charming creatures depicted in the illustrations are exceptionally adorable), raccoons are wild animals and need to be left alone by people and pets. Part of a series that spotlights familiar North American animals, the book deftly connects natural human children’s activities to raccoon behaviors without engaging in anthropomorphism. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Naturalistic and charming. (Informational picture book. 4-7)

Kirkus Reviews

"A truly wonderful book that not only pulls readers in with a cute tale about animals but also incorporates activities that mimic the lives of raccoons—all while being educational! . . . This is truly a perfect blend of education and fun with the addition of adorable illustrations." —SLJ

"Exceptionally adorable . . . Part of a series that spotlights familiar North American animals, the book deftly connects natural human children’s activities to raccoon behaviors without engaging in anthropomorphism. . . . Spare text on each page is accessible for emerging readers, and the full-color art’s soothing palette makes this ideal for a bedtime story. . . . Naturalistic and charming." —Kirkus

From the Publisher