Animal Parent and Child Picture Book
Maya Sæverstørm, translated by Mai Inoue, Kagaku-Dojin, 2020, 112 pages,
1,500 yen (excluding tax)

Opening the pages is soothing, thanks to illustrations of animal parents and their young drawn in a unique touch. This book features 51 diverse species of parent and child animals, including not only well-known ones like dolphins and elephants, but also those that are hard to picture unless you have a regular interest in animals, such as the Tasmanian devil and the Komodo dragon. Each illustration is accompanied by a witty, short caption about the daily lives of the parents and their young. Throughout the book, the author freely expresses a sense of wonder and awe at learning new things about each animal species. Moreover, rather than conveying these discoveries in a one-way manner, a desire to share them with the reader comes through. I think this is a book that adults who love animals can read for comfort, and that can also be enjoyed by turning the pages together with children who are developing an interest in animals.

Kazuaki Tanaka (School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University)

Animal Parent and Child Picture Book Review (PDF file)