The Hidden Wisdom of Animals: Surprising Things We Can Learn From Nature

Gr 3-5–This book builds on the idea that animals of all sorts have a great deal of wisdom, and readers learn that they can use this wisdom in their lives and in their communities. For example, squirrels know how to plan ahead. They store their food for the times when food is scarce, burying it, piling it up, and even hoarding seeds. This wisdom is then transferred to readers, who are asked, “Do you plan ahead?” It can be a key to survival. Similarly, in the section on wolves, readers see the lupine version of working in a team. When wolves work together, they can find strength to do what seems impossible. They can hunt big animals that they could not successfully hunt alone. They can also support the efforts of others. The lesson here is that joining a team can help readers achieve their goals. This is a handsome book, colorfully illustrated with informative details and eye-catching designs. The text, too, is both descriptive and informative. There are also a number of poetic entries that invite thought and evoke feelings. A poem addressed to an oyster, for example, praises the animal for transforming the world for the better by creating pearls from a bothersome speck. While this approach of finding lessons in the behavior of animals is interesting and informative, it does get repetitive as we are introduced to lessons from forty-four different animals.