The Capybaras
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
A capybara and a chicken become unlikely friends in this heartwarming children’s picture book about diversity, kindness, and inclusion. A surprise twist ending will leave kids feeling cozy and snuggly!
A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year | “Featuring a cast of adorable animals, this is a simple but multilayered tale of overcoming prejudice, learning to question the status quo, and creating community.”—Publishers Weekly, STARRED Review
In this storybook for elementary school-aged kids (ages 4-8), a lovely chicken coop full of contented hens and their chicks is disrupted by the arrival of … the capybaras!
The hens think the capybaras are too big, wet, and hairy! But it’s hunting season, and the capybaras need somewhere safe to hide. So they are allowed to stay if they follow the rules: don’t come out of the water, don’t go near the food, and stay away from the hens and chicks.
One day, a brave little chick approaches a baby capybara. “Chirp chirp!” Together, they travel over the water, the chick riding on the capybara’s back. Sadly, their friendship is cut short by an angry mama hen. But when a barking dog gets into the coop, the valiant capybaras rescue the chickens, and everything changes…
This funny and feel-good book has a surprise twist ending that kids will love. The Capybaras shares the importance of being yourself and making friends. By sticking together, we can overcome prejudice and live happily ever after.
An Aldana Libros Book, Greystone Kids
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A multigenerational group of sweet-faced capybaras seeks refuge during hunting season in a gently drawn story that parallels human concerns. From the opening spreads of a well-fortified chicken yard from which humans occasionally take chickens, it is clear that Soderguit's text, which introduces readers to a "safe, agreeable place" where "life was comfortable and everyone knew what she was supposed to do," is less reliable than it seems. As the capybaras become gentle companions to one brave chick, and then its fierce protectors, the illustrations tell a subtler and more dangerous story of individuals who come to realize that their home is more prison than safe haven, and who slowly find safety and solidarity in the company of "wild animals." Employing a thoughtful economy of line and a palette limited to shades of gray, orange, and red, Soderguit's work makes adept use of illustration and design elements to convey meaning, truly honoring the picture book form. Featuring a cast of adorable, expressive animals, this is a simple but multilayered tale of overcoming prejudice, learning to question the status quo, and creating community. Ages 3–8.
