Alaska's Animals, You and I
Shannon Cartwright
Hardcover
(Shannon, March 15, 2016)
Alaska's Animals shows how various animals are different, comparing things like noses, feet, tails and dwellings with colorful, detailed and clever close-up compositions. All illustrations are accompanied by Shannon Cartwright's lyrical verses that roll of your tongue while reading it aloud. The book stands on its own, but the underlying theme uses Alaska's animals to introduce the concept of "diversity" in an entertaining subtle way. Recently news reports estimated 20 percent of US households speak a language other than English at home, so her message becomes more important every day. A surprise ending extends her message to a worldwide application.