How to Speak Animal, by Gabby Wild

(Paperback, 176 pages, first published in 2022)

Learn about the secret language of wild animals in this exciting and informative guide from the experts who brought you How to Speak Cat and How to Speak Dog.

We know animals can’t speak and express themselves in the same way as humans … but even the smallest and quietest animals have incredible ways of communicating with each other. With wildlife veterinarian expert Dr. Gabby Wild as a guide, How to Speak Animal helps kids understand how animals communicate through sound, body language, and behavior. It’s full of expert insights and real-life stories of humans exploring ways to “talk” to animals, from teaching great apes sign language to speaking “dolphin.” Packed with super-engaging animal photography that helps illustrate key concepts, this fascinating book profiles more than 60 different creatures―from birds to mammals to reptiles and more―and their amazing ways of communicating with each other.

If you’ve ever wondered why gorillas beat their chests and make hooting noises, what it means when chameleons change color, or why some elephants twist their trunks together, this is the book for you!

Storyglory Considerations: (1) Animals frequently communicate through their excrement, and this book does not shy away from that, although it is always discussed in a matter-of-fact manner and never as potty humor. (2) The book includes non-graphic, surface-level discussion about how various animals communicate to find their mates. (3) Six "Speak Up!" sections throughout the book encourage kids to protect these animals in various ways such as adopting pets from shelters; one of these briefly discusses climate change. The appendix list of additional resources to explore have not been reviewed by Storyglory.

Recommended Age: 8-12