Our founder, Randy Houk, who was a reading curriculum specialist, believes that different children learn to read utilizing a combination of three senses: auditory, kinaesthetic, and visual. Some children rely much more on one of the senses, but almost all children learn through some combination of all three.

We have therefore provided additional components available with every storybook we produce. The expressive narration on audiocassette by Emmy and Peabody winning musician, Tom Chapin, enhanced with his original music and authentic animal sound effects, plunges a child into the world of each animal. Younger children can follow along in their books, listening to the narration, and have the same warm, parental experience of being read to that is missing in so many homes in these busy, busy times.

The lifelike plush toy goes a step further to bring each story 'to life' for a child. It has the additional dimension of engaging a child's heart: it softens the experience, and makes that featured animal real. (Didn't we all think our stuffed toys came to life when we were children?)

Finally, we've added even another dimension with our videos. Along with nearly 100 additional illustrations to animate the adaptation of the book for video, we have between ten and fifteen minutes of live footage of the actual animals featured in the stories. Children are invariably fascinated when they discover each story really is true - that the featured animal really does exist. Watching the wolf pups receive their first vaccinations in Yellowstone National Park, while the black mother wolf paces in a holding pen, can go a step farther to making the story - and the entire history of how gray wolves became endangered in Yellowstone - come to life for a child.

Suggested Curriculum inclusion: reading, science, nature, animals

 

 
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