HMH Books for Young Readers | 978-0358252108

Two years ago I had the good fortune to hear author Sy Montgomery speak at the Charlotte Huck Children’s Literature Festival. I had read her picture book, KAKAPO RESCUE: Saving the World’s Strangest Parrot (and included it in a RKZ post HERE), as well as other books, including INKY’S AMAZING ESCAPE: How a Very Smart Octopus Found His Way Home, illustrated by Amy Schimler Safford, but this would be my first time to hear her speak.

Her keynote was a beautiful ode to wonder and gave me and the other conference goers a sense of her eminently gentle heart and the fascinating path her life had taken. I left the conference with her book, the good good pig: the extraordinary life of christopher hogwood. (highly recommended!)

Fast forward several years –  a friend recommended BECOMING A GOOD CREATURE, a picture book adaptation of Montgomery and illustrator Rebecca Green‘s NYT’s bestselling memoir for adults, HOW TO BE A GOOD CREATURE. I ordered it right away and am so glad that I did, as it seems like the perfect book for a time when we could use some of the hope offered by this “beautiful, friendly guide for anyone who wishes to be a better creature in the world.”

Author Sy Montgomery ends the book with a gentle reminder to “Trust Tomorrow” and that “even in the darkest times, there may be wonderful new teacher waiting for you, right around the corner.”